The Price you have to Pay
by Hamilyn
Summary: The seemingly simple murder of a prostitute and the disappearance of her son becomes more complicated as the team work to solve the case while Jenn and Nick try to manage their changed relationship.
1. Chapter 1

I felt inspired to try and write a murder mystery to combine with my continuation of Nick and Jen (from their breakup at the end of last season). This isn't a song fic but it was somewhat inspired by the Thirsty Merc song – Homesick - they used at the end of season 4 episode 22 and Missy Higgins – Where I stood. I've never written crime before so no idea if what I do is going to be any good it might be utter crap.

I'll post the chapters as I finish them. I'll try to do it regularly but it might take me a little while.

So here goes… please review - that is if anyone is actually reading this :D (everyone likes reviews it makes us writers feel good even if you say you don't like it – but please say why otherwise it's not so nice!) and let me know if it's any good.

Disclaimer: I do not own City Homicide or it's characters (unfortunately). And I certainly don't own Homesick by Rai Thistletwayte …I just like the song.

This is pure fiction any likeness to real people or events, strange but purely coincidental.

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><p><strong>The Price you have to Pay<strong>

"_Lotta kids with a homesick view _

_Deep down I know that I've been homesick too_

_But something tells me its all right I know I'll be back in your arms tonight"_

_ Homesick by Rai Thistlethwayte_

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><p>December 2010<p>

The cacophonous horns of early morning Metro trains intruded on the mournful scene below them as they screeched past carrying commuters on their way to work oblivious to the lonely figure lying on the ground. Dark red stains on his shirt betrayed a young life cruelly ended. The chilly morning wind blew across the derelict lot speaking to scraggy clumps of weed grass and Scotch thistles who whispered their secrets to the cracked concrete and waved a mournful elegy to the lost young man they kept hidden from passers by. The vibrant purple and yellow flowers of the weeds clashed against the bright colours of the graffiti sprayed on the concrete where he was slumped; half lying, half sitting against a pile of discarded bricks. Pale hair flopped down over his forehead, obscuring the features on his ashen face. A loyal and loving son whose lips now cold and blue had once uttered words of comfort to his poor mother. Now lonely and carelessly forgotten in death as the place where he lay.

_February 1993_

"Is he here?"  
>"I'm sorry. He told me to tell you if you came here that he doesn't want to see you anymore."<br>"Please," the girl cried, "Please. I really need to see him."

Darkness crept over the well-manicured lawn, scattered with pampered rose bushes and well tended garden beds creating an assault course for her as she ran blindly forwards. The air was fragrant with roses and she'd forever hate the smell of them because of it. The memory of doors being shut before her, shutting her out, cruelly cutting her off from love and her last hope. The colourful flower heads became a mish-mash of greys in the low light as she stumbled hardly seeing back towards the large gates. Even though it was a warm summer night it was pouring with rain that mingled with her tears as she ran. She was terrified. _I'll make it on my own. I will. I'll do it without their help. I'll show them. Somehow I will. Don't you worry I'll take care of us._


	2. We Have a Murder

OK heres chapter 2. Sorry about the wait but I want to make sure I get the details correct. Looks like a lot of people are reading but only two reviewed. Hopefully this chapter will go better.

(apologies if anyone read this before I re-added all the punctuation...for some reason FF removed it all when I uploaded. Very annoying! Sorry if I missed any when I put it back.)

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><p>Disclaimer: I do not own City Homicide or its characters (unfortunately). And I certainly dont own Homesick by Rai Thistletwayte I just like the song.<p>

This is pure fiction any likeness to real people or events, strange but purely coincidental.

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><p>Detective Sergeant Matt Ryan walked swiftly into the incident room waving some papers, addressing his team as he did so. "OK Listen up people. We've got a new case - a woman found beaten, strangled and stuffed into an air conditioning vent at the Park Hyatt in the room where Martin Strangewood is staying."<p>

"As in the Minister for the Environment Martin Strangewood?" Asked Duncan.

"The very same," replied Matt, "So you can see that this could be quite a high profile case. That's why weve been called in to investigate and Senior Sergeant Wolfes going to be keeping an eye on our progress. The hotel is very embarrassed, nothing like this has happened there before. Duncan I want you and Nick to go down there and start questioning witnesses. Try to be discreet. I dont need to tell you not to say anything to the press."

"On it Serg." Detective Senior Constable Duncan Freeman grabbed his jacket and headed out the door with DSC Nick Buchannan behind him.

When Nick and Duncan arrived at the hotel there were reporters and television cameras everywhere. They waded through the journalists with a wave of their hand and No comment oblivious to the admiring looks they were receiving from the female reporters as they walked purposefully past.

"By the look of them you'd think being an attractive woman was a journalistic prerequisite these days," grinned Duncan. "Did you see all those gorgeous chicky babes?"

Duncan tried to lighten the mood before viewing the tragedy that was another human life cut short. If you didn't stay upbeat this job it could really pull you down. Nick really wasn't in the mood to be jovial this morning. Journalists made him edgy and he just wanted to get on with the job. He really hated these kinds of situations where they were under the scrutiny of the press. You really had to watch your step. He was grateful it was Commander Waverley's job to address them. He only grunted in response and Duncan raised an eyebrow. It was hard to get a rise out of Nick these days.

"Whats up? Someone kick you when youre down?"

Forensics were still processing the room as Nick and Duncan flashed their badges at the uniform guarding the crime scene perimeter. The body of a woman maybe about thirty lay on a white sheet on the floor. Her face was in bad shape from what must have been a very nasty beating. Nick felt his hackles rise. Any murder was horrible but he especially couldn't stand to see the mistreatment of women. Minister Strangewood's aide, who introduced herself as Rachel McBride, met them at the doorway. She was a young, attractive, fairly tall woman with dark hair; She was quite striking to look at. Minister Strangewood himself was sitting on the end of a large king sized bed, dressed in his underwear and a robe that was open down the front, looking like all his worst nightmares had come true. The aide tried to block their path to the Minister. Nick and Duncan flashed their badges.

"Nick Buchannan and Duncan Freeman, homicide detectives, Ma'am. We need to speak with Minister Strangewood," announced Duncan as he walked past Rachel. Nick went over to speak with Ronnie. Time of death she thought to be between 10 and 11 the night before. The cold air from the air conditioning unit had delayed decomposition so TOD would need to be confirmed at autopsy. Cause of death appeared to be strangulation although she'd taken a pretty nasty beating. Again the autopsy would be able to confirm it. The manager of the hotel, who was veritably wringing his hands in despair at the situation, re-stated that they'd received a call from the Minister's room at 6:30am that morning notifying them that the air conditioning wasnt working. Engineers discovered the body at just after 7am. Nick nodded, made notes and turned back towards the Minister.

Rachel tried to intervene and engage Nick in a conversation. The fact she was also obviously flirting with him didn't escape his notice but he was sure it was just to sweet talk him into giving her information. He suspected Rachel might be one of those girls who used her good looks to her advantage when the need arose. Nick asked her to provide the Ministers diary so they could establish his whereabouts the previous day and at the time of the murder.

"You can't think I had anything to do with this. Ive never seen this woman in my life before," Strangewood implored them as Duncan asked him to confirm where he was the evening before. He said he was at a charity dinner until midnight then went straight to bed because he had a breakfast meeting with the Premier. His diary backed up his claims.

"I'm going to need a copy of that please Sir and the names of any witnesses who can confirm your story."

"Everyone at the dinner last night can vouch for my presence there." He sighed feeling as though they did not believe him. "Look I want to help you in any way I can." He motioned with his hand towards Rachel, "Rachel with provide you with anything you need. She organises my schedule and goes everywhere I go." Nick gave Duncan a slight look and it was obvious they were thinking the same thing

"OK Sir. Thank you. Well check this out and be in touch."

"I think she likes you," commented Duncan under his breath as they were leaving. A flicker of a smile passed over Nicks face before he replied.

"No. I dont think so. She just wants information so she can protect her boss."

"Maybe so but Im telling you. I think she likes you," he elbowed Nick's arm playfully. "You know you should go for it. When was the last time you went out on a date?"

"You think I dont get out much?" Questioned Nick.

"I dont know, do you?" Asked Duncan. "You've been a bit distant lately mate, all that secret undercover stuff with Jenn." Nick raised an eyebrow ruefully.

"She's a possible suspect," he interceded.

"Yeah but she may not always be," winked Duncan. _Great_ Nick thought. Duncan thought he was uptight and desperate to get laid. He humphed to himself, Duncan wasn't actually that far off the mark except it wasnt some random attractive woman he wanted. All the same he took another quick look at Rachel as they walked out of the door. She noticed and smiled at him. He gave her an acknowledging smile back. She _was_ very nice looking. He contemplated the idea briefly. Maybe some attractive female company would be a nice distraction even if all she was really after was information on the case.

Duncan called Sergeant Ryan to give him an update. He was with Senior Sergeant Stanley Wolfe in his office.

"So you've ruled out Minister Strangewood as a suspect then?" Queried Stanley.

"At this point it looks like he wasn't involved but were still checking his alibi, Sir," said Matt. "We still havent identified the victim yet. No one has come forward. Were going to run a Crime Watch segment."

"OK. Well keep me informed."

"Will do," said Matt exiting the office. He breathed a sigh of relief. He was grateful that it looked like some of the heat had been taken off the case and he wouldn't be under such close scrutiny from above. Things had not been going as smoothly as he had hoped since his return to the team as their Sergeant and he needed to create a good impression with this one. He was anxious to solve this case and prove his worth in the job.

The pressure was still on to absolutely rule out Minister Strangewood's involvement so all the departments were working round the clock to process the crime scene information. They'd established that there were no fingerprints on the cover to aircon vent in the room and Minister Strangewood's alibi checked out. Even though the case appeared to have lost its high profile status they still had a homicide to solve and after more than a week it appeared that they werent any closer to identifying the woman or anyone who may have killed her. It was a mystery. She had no identification with her that they'd found. No one seemed to have seen her or knew who she was. Missing persons had also come up a blank and no one had come forward to claim her. With no other leads yet the case seemed to have stalled.

First thing on the following Monday morning most of the team were assembled in the meeting room for a review. Jenn looked at the photos of the poor murdered woman that were pinned onto the board. Her face was swollen with thick purple marks around her neck and the curls of her blonde hair were matted with blood. She imagined her as quite attractive before her life had been so cruelly ended and she wondered who she'd been in life and why no one seemed to care enough about her to have reported her missing.

"So what have we got so far?" DS Ryan stood to the side of the room and observed the murder board with DSS Wolfe and DSUP Jarvis.

"Wheres Rhys," interrupted Allie? "Shouldn't he be here for this?"

"Rhys is out for the week working on another assignment. He won't be joining you on this investigation," stated Sergeant Ryan as a matter of fact.

"What assignment?" Asked Allie. There was a time when Rhys probably would have told her himself where he was going or at least she would have been able to wheedle it out of him. Allie felt the sting of rejection all over again. She wasn't made of glass but she didn't open up to others easily either. Through his persistence she'd started to trust him and let him in only to find out that she was just a bit of fun for him, painlessly shoved aside to advance his career. Even though she would never show it to anyone, least of all him, he'd hurt her badly.

"An assignment given to him by DSS Wolfe," he answered in a tone that plainly said _theres an end to it_.

Stanley Wolfe addressed the team.

"OK. So where are we? Have we managed to rule out Minister Strangewood as a suspect?"

"His prints were not on the air conditioning vent where the body was found and his alibi for the time of the murder checked out: he was making a speech at the Wilderness Society charity dinner in front of 120 people. His aide Rachel McBride accompanied him." Said Matt

"Well thats something then." Commented Wolfe with relief. Sergeant Ryan continued.

"The hotel manager admitted that he made certain discreet arrangements when requested by calling a contact of his which accounts for why the victim was in Strangewood's room. The manager swears all he did was give her the room key and so far we can't find any verifiable link between him and the victim. It doesn't look like he knew her or even ever met her before. Strangewood's aides say they have never seen her before either. We think it might just a coincidence that she was killed in his room."

"I don't believe in coincidences," stated DS Jarvis. "If it walks like a rat and smells like a rat, its a rat! What about the CCTV cameras?"

"All out in the relevant areas at the time of the murder."

"Well thats just bloody convenient isnt it?" Jarvis stated sardonically. "Could they have been tampered with?"

"No. We checked. There was an engineers call out log for the day before but they didn't get to it until today."

"So much for 5 star service," said Jarvis scathingly.

"Uniforms have been canvassing the hotel. Our victim wasn't one of the hotel guests. No one saw her leave. No one saw her enter. We did establish that someone entered the room around 9:30pm on the night in question. That was probably our victim entering the room to wait for Minister Strangewood. The room was accessed again at 10:30pm, possibly by the killer, using a cleaning maids access card but there's no way of tracking which maids card was used. Uniforms are interviewing the house keeping staff to try and glean more information." He then looked to Nick who had the pathology report.

"Pathology reports from Ronnie confirmed that strangulation was the cause of death. Probably from a rope or something very similar though she sustained a heavy beating. Several of the victim's fingers were broken and one of her toes. Theres no evidence of sexual assault. She has defensive bruising on her arms and legs so it looks like she put up a vigorous fight before she died. That may have been why she was so badly beaten. Ronnie collected DNA from epithelias under her fingernails, probably from the killer but it doesnt match anyone on record. There's also what looks like the imprint on her left cheek possibly from a ring the killer was wearing. Her blood work showed up trace amounts of cocaine and sodium pentobarbital. It looks like she had been a regular user. There were track marks on her arms but Ronnie noted that by the rate of healing she didnt think shed used heavily in a month or so."

Duncan joined them, "We may have identified our Jane Doe. I just got a phone call from a man called Stephen Armedes who claims to know the victim. He thinks that shes his girlfriend Janice Hawkins. He says she paid her rent with prostitution and she was a junkie."

"Could be her," said Matt thoughtfully.

"Why has he waited for more than a week to come forward?" asked Wolfe.

"He's been in a rehab facility in isolation for the last month," explained Duncan. "He just got out and couldn't contact her then he saw the re-run on Crime Watch and called in. We've verified his identification and his story checked out. His last known address before the rehab clinic was a unit in Fitzroy that had Janice Hawkins name on the rental agreement. Uniforms are on their way there now to search the place."

"Well that probably rules him out as a suspect then," commented Wolfe.

"Also this just came in from the uniforms still canvassing the hotel," continued Duncan. "A witness has just come forward describing these two men who they saw in the hotel bar talking to Janice on the night of her death. They stuck out a bit because they didn't really look like the hotels usual clientele. That's why the witness remembered them."

Duncan started to walk up to the board to pin the photo-fit pictures of their possible suspects on it when DSUP Jarvis spoke up again.

"Here let me have a look." Duncan handed the photo-fits of two rough looking suspects to Jarvis who studied them for a second then said, "Yeah thought so. It's been a while and Jo's put on a few kilos but I think I know these two loons, Ricky Barillaro and Jo Marsiliani. When I knew them they were a couple of low-grade dealers who did some pimping on the side. Not the sharpest tools in the shed. Ricky has a reputation for a real nasty temper – likes to use his fists." Jarvis handed the photos back to Duncan who pinned them up on the board. "As far as I know theyve never killed anyone before though."

"At this point we still don't know why she was murdered. Could have been a hook gone wrong or maybe one of them was her pimp? Could have even been a drug deal gone bad she was a user. It certainly looks like one those two could have killed her," Duncan commented as he wrote their full names above their pictures on the board.

Stanley Wolfe addressed Terry Jarvis, "Terry can you use your contacts in the drug squad to help bring those two in?" Jarvis nodded.

"Well now we know who she is someone needs to get in contact with her family. Who's going to do the death knock?" asked Wolfe. Nick raised a finger and nodded in affirmation.

"Stephen also mentioned that Janice has a 16 year old son called Jason," said Duncan, "but he doesn't know where he is."

"Strange that he hasn't reported his mother missing," said Jenn.

"Good point," said Matt. "Right. Nick, could you also try and track down Jason? At this point we don't know if he's likely to be in any danger or not. Find out who his father is. Maybe he's staying with him?" said Matt. "Duncan can you find out all you can about Stephen Armedes, please and find out who Janices clients were. Jenn. I want you and Allie to go and see him. See if he recognises our suspects."

"He's staying with his mother," grinned Duncan handing Jenn the address.

"And get him to come down to the morgue to formally identify Janice." Said Matt. He paused contemplating the board for a moment. "OK. Anyone have anything else to add?" No one said anything.

"Right, well you've all got your assignments," DSS Wolfe said. He looked at his watch. "Shall we meet back here say 9am tomorrow morning to assess our progress?" He suggested as they all got up and started collecting their things.

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><p>Authors Note: I was a little peeved with Rhys for the way he dumped Allie. So I had Wolfey send him on an intensive Police Raid training course (lets face it he does need it!). So he's off doing the hard yakka in Goulburn and wont be joining us for this story. There wasn't really any reason for me to make this a secret I just felt like it. Apologies to any Rhys fans ;)<p> 


	3. Estelle and Stephen Armedes

It's been a bit quiet around here. Not sure if anyone is reading this or not. Thanks to those who have reviewed - Firebird590, CrazyWomanLovesYou and PastNeighbours and it's very encouraging! If you are reading please let me know what you think! :D

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><p>Disclaimer: I do not own City Homicide or it's characters (unfortunately). And I certainly don't own Homesick by Rai Thistletwayte …I just like the song.<p>

This is pure fiction any likeness to real people or events, strange but purely coincidental.

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><p>On the drive to the Armedes house they sat in silence while Allie drove. You could have cut the tension with a knife. Usually they'd talk about something but today Jenn was stonily quiet. Allie snuck a glance at her. She was staring out of the window. Allie didn't think Jenn's silence was anything to do with her though. If it had been Jenn was forthright enough to say something. She was usually pretty friendly and chatty but Allie thought she'd been less talkative since she'd come back from her time off. Allie knew something was up and she had a feeling it had to do with Nick. She'd noticed a strained atmosphere between them but she had a feeling that Jenn didn't want to talk about it so for once she kept her mouth shut. She'd experienced enough of her own heartache to know that sometimes silence was a better companion.<p>

"Wow look at this place," she said as she pushed the intercom button in front of a pair of very large ornate gates that stood across the driveway to a large Grecian style mansion beyond.

Allie parked the car on the round driveway close to the house and they walked up to the carved wooden front doors and rang the bell.

"Oh," A deeply tanned and heavily made up woman wearing too much flashy jewellery answered the door. Her clothes were obviously expensive but in Jenn's opinion ugly. She looked displeased, as though she were expecting someone else, "Who are you? Who let you in? I don't buy from door to door salespeople! Please leave." Jenn raised her eyebrow wondering what about her and Allie's appearance gave the impression they were trying to sell something. She held out her hand to stop the woman shutting the door in their faces.

"Detectives Mapplethorpe and Kingston, homicide," smiled Jenn to the woman, flashing her badge.

"What do you want?" She asked rudely.

"May we speak to Stephen Armedes please?"

The woman huffed quietly surveying Jenn and Allie judgementally, "What about?"

"His girlfriend Janice Hawkins has been murdered."

"Oh really? Well that doesn't surprise me in the slightest."

Allie raised an eyebrow and asked harshly, "What makes you say that?"

"You know what she does," she corrected herself, "did, to make a living don't you? She was a drug addict as well. She dragged my son down into the gutter with her." _Ah, this must be Stephen's mother_ thought Jenn. She'd made no move yet to usher them inside.

"Ah Mrs Estelle Armedes?" The woman pursed her lips in the affirmative. "May we come in please?" Asked Jenn. Mrs Armedes stepped aside to let them in. "Did you know Janice well?" asked Jenn.

"Never met her," stated Mrs Armedes carelessly.

"Well this is what she looked like when we found her last week," said Allie holding up an unpleasant morgue picture. Mrs Armedes glanced at the photo and turned up her nose.

"She got was what coming to her. She was heading for a nasty end sooner or later. Good riddance if you ask me!" Jenn was slightly shocked that this woman made no effort to hide her uncharitable views especially in front of them but then again she'd met many unpleasant people during her time in the force.

"No one deserves to die like that Mrs Armedes," Allie stated, disgusted.

"We'll talk to Stephen now please," interrupted Jenn surreptitiously elbowing Allie in the side to get her to drop it, not wanting to get into a confrontation at this point.

"OK you may as well talk to him but I don't know how he could possibly help you. He's been in a rehab clinic for the last month trying to get over his addiction." She waved towards a door at the end of the hall dismissively, "He's in the kitchen." Jenn and Allie headed off in the direction Mrs Armedes waved them. "No guesses then why she didn't come forward," said Allie. "Rich bitch," she muttered under her breath. Jenn silently agreed with her.

They found Stephen in the large marbled kitchen having his breakfast made for him by a man who was, by the way he was dressed, the family chef. The omelette he was cooking smelled good, it made Jenn's tummy growl even though she'd only had breakfast a couple of hours earlier. Stephen noticed and, already creating a better impression than his mother had, offered politely,

"Would you like one as well?" Jenn reddened and Allie smirked at her,

"No thank you. "

"Coffee?" He picked up an espresso cup and proffered it in Jenn and Allie's direction. Jenn smiled.

"Mr Armedes we're Jennifer Mapplethorpe and Allie Kingston, homicide detectives. We're here to ask you about your girlfriend Janice."

The tall, lanky man's face dropped and he shifted uncomfortably on his bar stool. He might have been handsome once. His appearance now was wasted and unkempt, the sallow skin on his face made the dark purple shadows under his mournful eyes look even worse. Jenn felt sorry for him. Even though he was still young he looked much older, like he'd had a hard life. His clothes looked old, they were too big for him and it looked like he'd slept in them. He was the exact opposite of Mrs Armedes.

"I'm not sure what I can tell you. I already told them when I called that I was in rehab. I only just got out."

"Have you ever seen either of these two men?" Asked Allie holding up the photo fits of Barillaro and Marsiliani. "They were seen with Janice shortly before she died." Stephen studied the photos.

"Hmm, no I don't think so," he said sadly his dark hair flopping over his face, "Though my memory is not so good. Did they kill her?"

"We don't know," said Jenn, "Do you know if Janice had a pimp?"

"No she'd got herself out of that game because of how dangerous it was. Pimps got her hooked on drugs when she was a teen. She wanted to be a good Mum to Jason and get clean. So she managed to get out and become freelance. She had a bunch of regulars but she was going to get out completely once I got clean. She was doing a computer course so she could get a job."

"Can you think of anyone who would have wanted to hurt Janice?"

"Not really. My mother never liked her," _No kidding_ thought Jenn, "but she didn't have any real enemies. She wouldn't hurt anyone. She was always trying to help other people worse off than herself. She got me into rehab. I was a mess when I met her but she had managed to get clean and she helped me. I've been trying to take charge of my life again. I was going to take care of her. We were going to get a house together. We wanted to get jobs so we could take care of her son, Jason, properly. Give him a decent place to live, a family like I never had. We wanted children," he said wistfully. "Jason hasn't contacted me. Do you know who's taking care of him?"

"We have people looking for him. Don't worry I'm sure we'll find him." Jenn said. She had a feeling that they weren't going to get much more information out of Stephen so she dug her card out of her satchel and handed it to him, "OK well if you can think of anything give us a call."

They wandered back out into the hall looking for Mrs Armedes to question her again. They found her sitting on the front verandah drinking even though it was only ten in the morning.

"I already told you I never met her," she said before they had a chance to say anything.

"You certainly seem to have formed a very definite opinion about someone you never met," stated Allie.

"I knew what she did. I don't need to know anything else."

"Can you tell us where you were last Thursday night between nine and midnight?" Asked Allie. Mrs Armedes snorted.

"You don't think I killed her do you?" Allie just looked at her expecting an answer to her question. "Fine. I was here. All night. I was giving a dinner party for ten of my friends. You can ask any of them or Alfredo to confirm it."

"Thanks. We'll be doing that," Allie jotted the information down in her notebook.

"Do you know either of these two men?" Jenn asked holding up the photo-fits.

Mrs Armedes looked repulsed, "You think I would have anything to do with people like that?" She swilled her drink.

"You can ask my husband," she waved dismissively in the direction of the front lawn.

Jenn sighed. Oh well they could always call her in for questioning later if necessary. She nodded to Allie and they headed across the lawn to question her husband. They saw a man they assumed was him standing by a large clump of tea roses. He didn't look like the kind of man Mrs Armedes would be married to though. He looked more like the paid gardener but there were no other men they could see in the garden. They walked up to him.

"Mr Armedes?" queried Jenn. He was cutting the flower heads off one of the larger rose bushes and Allie gave him a look that suggested she thought he must be crazy. He noticed her expression and said, "I cut the old blooms off to encourage the bush to produce more flowers. Keeps 'em fertile," he winked at Allie. Allie curled her lip as if to say yeah whatever and Jenn stifled a smile. The man held out his hand for them to shake, "It's Whittaker. The name's John Whittaker," he smiled, lecherously eyeing them both. Allie was not doing a good job of hiding her disgust. "She wouldn't take my name when we married." Somehow that did not surprise either of them.

"Did you know Janice Hawkins?" She held up a picture of Janice. His blank expression didn't really fool either of them.

"Stephen's girlfriend," hinted Allie.

"Think I might have met her once. I didn't know her though. Has something happened to her?"

"She was murdered," Allie said.

"Mr Whittaker have you ever seen either of these two men before?" Jenn asked holding up the photo-fits of the two men seen at the hotel with Janice. He moved into her personal space leaning over her to look, making Jenn feel very uncomfortable. Her first instinct was to push him away but she just stepped back slightly instead.

"Can't say as I have," he flashed his mouth full of dirty teeth at her in what he thought constituted an alluring grin, "But I'm happy to come down to the station with you and have a better look."

_Not very bright either_ thought Jenn. "It's all right that won't be necessary," she said.

"Well if you can think of anything please give us a call."

They walked back across the lawn to the car.

Jenn sighed and leaned back against the car seat. She felt unusually drained and wanted a break before they went back to discuss their findings with the rest of the team, "You mind if we stop for something? I'm starving."

Allie looked at her watch, "Sure. It's nearly time for me to eat."

"You eat according to a schedule?" Jenn asked curiously.

"Regular meals allow for optimum digestion and metabolic rate. I eat four times a day and drink plenty of water. That and exercise helps me stay fit." Allie explained. Jenn raised an eyebrow. She watched what she ate and took regular exercise but she couldn't be bothered to be that precise about it.

"Oh." She said.

"Urghh what a pair!" Jenn stated after the waitress left them alone.

"Yeah, the husband! Dirty old bugger I thought he was going to pinch your bum or something," smirked Allie

"He was looking at you too." Jenn laughed. "But it wouldn't have been the first time I've been felt up by a suspect."

"Me either but I'd have kicked his ass and arrested him for assault police if he'd tried anything on me."

"He would have been sorry if he _had_ tried anything," Jenn added. Allie eyed the plate of Pad Thai the waitress had just put down in front of Jenn in surprise. Jenn had just eaten a whole bowl of seafood Laksa that she usually wouldn't have been able to finish.

"You know you eat like that all the time you're gonna get fat. Then you won't be able to kick anyone's ass." Allie said with her mouth half full of sesame noodles and bean sprouts. Allie wondered if Jenn's overeating had anything to do with the negative tension she'd noticed between her and Nick.

"I don't usually. I just can't seem to get enough to eat. I'm starving all the time. Maybe I'm coming down with something?" Jenn commented and Allie raised an eyebrow.

"You know you are looking a bit pudgy around the middle lately."

Jenn felt embarrassed and gave younger girl a shocked look, subconsciously sucking her stomach in, "Gee thanks."

Allie shrugged her shoulders, "Just saying is all. It helps to stay fit in this job. Only your friends will tell you." Jenn had to smile at Allie's bluntness. She was tactless but it had somehow become endearing and Jenn liked her, she was amusing. She loved the guys but was nice to have another woman on the team dominated by men. Allie was tenacious in her pursuit of the truth, which made her a good detective and she was great at chasing down suspects! Allie took another large bite of her food. "Me I get up at five am each morning to work out." Jenn widened her eyes. She worked out a bit to stay fit but she valued her sleep time too much to get up at five am!

"I'm not sure I could be that dedicated" she replied.


	4. Anonymous Packages

Not the most interesting chapter I know but I needed to get some information in it before we move onto the next one ;) Thanks to everyone who's reviewed it makes me feel really good :D

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><p>Disclaimer: I do not own City Homicide or it's characters (unfortunately).<p>

This is pure fiction any likeness to real people or events, strange but purely coincidental.

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><p>An extremely frustrated looking DS Jarvis walked in with Matt. He and Duncan had just been interrogating Ricky Barillaro and Jo Marsiliani.<p>

"Did you get anything out of them?" Nick asked when he saw them enter the room.

"Nah they're not talking," steamed Jarvis, "But I know they're involved somehow," he said tapping his nose. "There are suspect scratches on Marsiliani's arms. He said his cat did it. Must 'ave been a bloody big cat!" Jarvis deadpanned. "They're not a smart duo," he shook his head slightly, "I've taken Ricky's ring into evidence. It looks like a good match to that mark on the victims face. It's with forensics so we should know in a day or so. Uniforms are searching the pub where Ricky works now. Hopefully they'll find something. They didn't call a lawyer on account of 'we're innocent'," he chuckled when he saw the incredulous look on Nick's face, "Yeah told you they were stupid. I've left them in lockup for now awaiting legal representation," grinned Jarvis.

"This just turned up in the mail," said Nick puzzled. He took a look at it carefully turning it over. "There's no return address. The postmark is the CBD so no clues as to who could have sent it."

"Well it's probably already been scanned at the depot so it can't be anything too bad," commented Duncan.

Nick sniffed it and then put it back down on his desk warily in case it contained something nasty. "I'll send it down to forensics to get it processed." He was frustrated. He preferred being out in the field to telephone legwork but it was a necessary part of the job. He had hit all brick walls so far in his search for Jason Hawkins. He was just hanging up the phone again when Jenn and Allie walked in. Jenn could tell by his demeanour that he hadn't had a particularly productive morning.

"No luck finding Jason?" She asked as she sat down.

"No. No father in the picture that I could find a record of. Children's services are on it. However I did find out a bit more about Stephen Armedes and guess what?"

"Turns out Stephen is the son of Paul McGinty the publishing magnate. He's the sole heir to the McGinty fortune." Jenn raised an eyebrow; Stephen certainly hadn't looked like he was the heir to a fortune but looks were often deceiving.

"_And_ he has a wife who lives in Richmond."

"Hmm OK. That's interesting. Do you want us to go and talk to her?" asked Jenn

"You only just got back here though. You sure you want to go out again so soon?"

"It's OK. Allie and I already ate and you and Duncan look like you have your hands full," She smiled and Nick gave her an 'I'd rather swap you' look.

"Thanks Jenn." Nick's phone rang. "I already told you I can't comment on the case. You'll have to go through official channels," he said politely and hung up the phone sighing, "Some people just don't give up."

"Who was that?" Asked Duncan.

"Rachel McBride."

Jenn raised an eyebrow in question and Duncan explained.

"I reckon she's got the hots for Nick. She was all over him at the crime scene the other day," he grinned. Nick felt the heat rise on the back of his neck.

"Oh really?" Said Jenn feigning amusement.

"Nah she's just after information," said Nick dismissively

"Why'd she call you and not me then ay?" grinned Duncan. "You should go for it!" Nick didn't reply. He looked back down at some paperwork on his desk and pretended to read it. Other women might be attractive to him and, since he and Jenn were no longer in a relationship, he might have gone out with Rachel if he'd thought she was really interested in him but there was only one woman he loved. As soon as he'd met her more than four years ago she'd turned his head like no one else ever had or would.

Jenn and Allie headed off to Richmond to interview Susie Armedes, Stephen's wife. The traffic was awful. It was a hot day and being in the car with the sun streaming through the windows even with the air con on it was giving Jenn a headache. When they finally arrived at Susie Armedes residence Jenn got out of the car and stood in the shade for a moment, breathing deeply and drinking out of her water bottle, which was now an unpleasant luke warm, to try and rid herself of the pounding in her head before they went in.

Susie Armedes lived in a small unit on Coppin St in Richmond. She could have been pretty if she'd made an effort but her hair was a mess and she was slopping around in baggy trackie daks, a large t-shirt and slippers. She had a few extra pounds on her probably from too many hours sitting on the couch in front of TV or she might have been slim. Her unit was fairly clean and tidy though and she ushered them inside and was very hospitable. She'd made tea and had home made cakes ready for them. Jenn was tempted but after Allie's comment the other day she didn't have any cake. Susie chatted with them as though they were girlfriends she hadn't seen in a very long time. Jenn thought she seemed older than her years.

"So Mrs Armedes were you aware that your husband had a girlfriend?" Asked Allie.

Susie Armedes chuckled, "Well no but then I haven't spoken with Stephen for a few years we sort of lost touch after he left me. I did try to maintain contact but he was wasted most of the time and he was living rough for a while. I couldn't get him to come home. He knew where I was so I thought maybe he'd come back one day. He never did." She sat thinking for a moment before asking, "Have you spoken to him? Did he mention me? Is he happy?" Jenn gave Allie a look.

"So you didn't know Janice Hawkins?" Allie held up Janice's picture. Susie took it and looked at it impassively.

"Is that his girlfriend? She's pretty."

"Unfortunately she's dead," said Allie

"Oh that's horrible," said Susie. "What happened to her?"

"She was murdered. Can you tell us where you were the night of December 3rd?"

"You can't possibly think I had anything to do with that?" She said horrified. She looked like she was going to cry.

"We have to ask everyone that question," said Jenn gently.

"I think I was probably at home here watching TV," she said.

"Can anyone verify that?" Asked Allie.

"No. I live alone and I didn't have anyone over. I watched Better Homes and Gardens," she cheered up as she started talking about it, "Do you watch that?" She asked them. Allie just shook her head. "I think that was the night Karen made Lamington Muffins," she said excitedly.

"Really?" Said Allie, "I'll have to check that out," she said referring to Susie's alibi.

"Oh you should they're really good!" Allie raised an eyebrow wondering if this girl was for real.

"Mrs Armedes have you ever seen either of these two men before?" Jenn held up the photos of Barillaro and Marsiliani expecting her to say she'd never seen either of them before but she studied them with a question in her face.

"I think I might have seen this one before," she said pointing to Jo Marsiliani. Jenn raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Can you remember where you might have seen him?" Susie thought for a moment but then shook her head.

"No I'm sorry. He just looked familiar somehow. Maybe I'm thinking of someone I've seen on TV?"

After they had obtained her 'alibi' they didn't even have to start asking her other questions she just rattled away telling them her life history.

"I knew he had a drinking problem when I married him," she explained "Then he started using drugs again. But we were in love and I thought I could help him. Unfortunately things just seemed to get worse for us though. He kept losing his job because of his habits and Stephen's mother wouldn't let us have any money." _Strange that he needed money when he's the heir to his father's fortune_ thought Jenn and she made a note. "I had to hide some of the money I earned so we could pay the rent. "

"I thought Stephen had a lot of money?" commented Jenn.

"No. He can't access his money while he's on drugs. He has to get clean first. There's an agreement or something." Jenn made a note to check up on that.

"That wasn't the reason I wanted him to get clean though," Susie said, "I wanted him to get better. I wanted our marriage to work. We wanted children but with Stephen's problems it never happened. He wasn't a bad person but he just couldn't kick the habits." she said sadly. "I tried so hard for years to get him to get help but he wouldn't. I got so desperate I even asked his mother. She doesn't like me very much," she explained, "but she refused. Can you believe that? She refused to help her own son!"

"OK," Jenn looked at Allie and Allie shook her head slightly. "Well if you can think of anything else you give us a call."

"That felt like a big fat zero," commented Allie as she drove them back to Flinders Street.

"Mmm,"

"I was thinking maybe jealous wife kills the girlfriend or something but she was just so, so…. mousey. I don't think she had anything to do with it."

"Strange that Estelle didn't want to help Stephen. You'd think as a mother she'd want her son to get help."

"Unless she had some ulterior motive," said Allie.

"Hmmm," thought Jenn as her mind starting thinking over all the information they'd gleaned from Susie Armedes and adding it to what they already knew. She remained deep in thought for the rest of the trip back to the office and she didn't hear Allie speaking to her.

Allie looked over at Jenn and raised her eyebrows in surprise, "Well don't mind me," she muttered.


	5. Sarah

Disclaimer: I do not own City Homicide or it's characters (unfortunately). And I certainly don't own Homesick by Rai Thistletwayte …I just like the song.

This is pure fiction any likeness to real people or events, strange but purely coincidental.

This chapter contains parts of dialogue (marked with an *) from City Homicide Season 4 Episode 22 by John Hugginson and John Banas

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><p>"<em>I've travelled down some lonely roads almost lost my way." <em>

_Homesick by Rai Thistlethwayte_

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><p>Nick had been given an anonymous lead that Jason used an old warehouse lot as a hang out, so there Nick and Jenn sat in their car, waiting. They'd been sitting there since early morning with no sign yet of Jason. Jenn needed to pee but there was nowhere she could go here. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat feeling cranky. A lot of police work was like this: time consuming and laborious, watching or information gathering. Usually she and Nick would chat while they kept a lookout, which passed the time pleasantly, but today they sat in silence.<p>

It was the first time they'd been paired on an assignment together since their breakup and Nick found it hard sitting with Jenn in the intimate setting of the car, it brought up unpleasant memories _"Nick this means everything to me."* _He couldn't look at her. He stared hard out of the car window, partly in watching out for Jason, and pinched the bridge of his nose in an effort to assuage the emotions starting to overwhelm him. He heard her speak his name softly, breaking the stillness. The gentleness in her voice reminded him of the enormity of what he'd lost and a tear started in the corner of his eye. Irritated and embarrassed he rubbed at his eyes in the pretence of tiredness to wipe it away _Pull yourself together Buchanan you have a job to do_ he berated himself. It was completely unlike him to allow himself to be overcome by his emotions but the sophisticated layers of denial he'd built up over time to bury his feelings had been broken and he was finding it very hard to be dispassionate. He felt completely shattered that it was over. Sure he'd been dumped before, relationships had ended, relationships that had lasted years rather than weeks but this was different; the strength of the attachment and the bond they shared was excruciatingly vivid, it had felt so right, and he wanted her back so much.

"Yeah," he managed to reply trying not to allow his voice to betray his emotional state. He respected that she'd made her choice about their relationship and he didn't want her to see how upset he felt. He spotted some kids about Jason's age rounding the corner and used it as his exit strategy. "Two kids wearing the uniform from Jason's school just came round the corner. I'm going to go and talk to them."

"Nick…"

"We have a job a to do," he cut her off as he climbed out of the car. Jenn swallowed a lump in her throat at his abruptness. Stakeouts with Nick used to be enjoyable but now their closeness was gone. She missed their covert looks and smiles, the shared understanding they'd had. He rarely smiled at her at all anymore and she missed that too. She stared down into her lap feeling sad and a little hurt but she didn't blame him. She was the one who'd called it off. By being a martyr to the cause she'd driven a wedge between them. She knew he felt hurt. It hurt her too, though she took great pains not to show it but she felt it was the right thing for now. She maintained the distance between them because she knew what would happen if she didn't. The rare occasions they did look directly into each other's eyes these days she could discern the shielded pain in his. She sighed and hoped that the camaraderie that they'd once shared wasn't gone forever as she got out of the car to follow him.

Nick was speaking to a couple of schoolboys carrying skateboards. It looked like they were motioning towards a teenage girl who was standing by the corner of an old warehouse building eyeing them warily. She looked like she wanted to run so Jenn approached carefully putting on her best friendly face. The girl appeared very frightened. Her school clothes were shabby and she didn't look very well cared for. Jenn wondered if she might be a runaway. She looked hungry.

"Hi. I'm Jennifer Mapplethorpe, a detective with the police," Jenn showed the girl her badge. She clutched at the straps on her over-stuffed rucksack, startled. "It's OK you're not in trouble," Jenn reassured her. "What's your name?" The girl just looked around obviously perturbed and didn't speak so Jenn continued in a gentle tone of voice, "Look if you need anything I can help you. I just need to ask you some questions OK?" The girl nodded nervously.

"Sarah." She said. "Sarah Smith." That name sounded like a fake one and not a very good one at that but at this point Jenn didn't care if she gave a false name or not.

"Do you know this boy?" Jenn showed her a photo of Jason. The girl didn't answer. "Is he a friend of yours?" Silence. "He's not in trouble. We just want to make sure he's all right."

Nick didn't manage to glean much information out of the two boys he'd spoken with. Neither of them claimed to know Jason very well and they had no idea where he could be. They hadn't noticed him around the skate ramp for a few weeks. He watched Jenn talking with a young girl. He hoped she was doing better than he had. He smiled. Jenn usually managed to gain a good rapport with young people. She was friendly and she really cared, both qualities that they responded well to. He hadn't spoken in private with her since that day in the car when she'd called a halt to their relationship. He'd berated himself since for not just telling her he'd wait for her to find her answers but he'd felt so devastated at the time because all he'd heard was that she wanted to end it. It hurt that she'd chosen the job over him but he wasn't surprised. He knew her very well. She was very professional and dedicated to her work. She was a great cop. She was also intensely independent and stubborn and if they were ever to be together again he couldn't persuade her she would have to decide they were to continue. She noticed him watching her. She smiled and started walking back towards him. His phone beeped. He was surprised that it was a text message from Rachel McBride. He wondered how she'd got his number. The message suggested meeting her for a drink. He deleted it and shoved his hands in his pockets, looking down he stared at his feet for a moment.

"Hey guess what?" Jenn said excitedly waving her notebook when she reached him. "I got his mobile number."

"You know it's really sad," she said as they got in the car. "All these kids that have no where to go. Sarah over there absolutely refused to come with us so I only hope Miriam can catch up with her," Jenn looked out of the window watching Sarah. "She's that social worker– you know the one that helped with that young boy, Luke, who shot his abusive Dad? I called her and arranged for someone to come and collect Sarah and give her a meal and a place to stay. Miriam is pretty good at helping these kids," she said almost to herself as she gazed out of the window. They sat in the car while Jenn tried the number she'd been given. To her relief and amazement Jason answered. He almost hung up on her at first but she managed to get him to listen to her and ascertained that he was OK. He'd been hiding out since his Mum was killed. Jenn managed to persuade him to meet her the following morning at the Finders Lane office. She ended the call and raised her eyebrow at Nick,

"He said he had something to give me."


	6. That'd Change Everything Wouldn't it?

"It'd change everything wouldn't it?"

"Your son?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't look so surprised. I know all about him. "

"How did you find out?"

"Don't be so stupid. I've known about him from the beginning. I made it my business to know."

"What are you talking about? I didn't even know. How could you possibly know? Unless…

…you bitch!


	7. Why is he Running?

Disclaimer: I do not own City Homicide or it's characters (unfortunately).

This is pure fiction any likeness to real people or events, strange but purely coincidental.

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><p>At 9am sharp the following morning the team were all assembled in the meeting room again to review their progress. They studied the murder board with the photos of Estelle and Stephen Armedes and Stephen's wife Susie, John Whittaker, Janice and Jason Hawkins, Ricky Barillaro and Jo Marsiliani.<p>

"OK so where are we?" Asked Matt, "What do we know so far?"

"Janice Hawkins, 32 year old prostitute and mother of one, Jason Hawkins. We tracked Janice's parents down in WA. She has no other living relatives we could find. Perth police said her parents refused to come over here to identify her body. They said they didn't have a daughter." It saddened Nick that even in death her parents didn't want to know Janice. It was an attitude he found hard to understand but it happened all too often in his experience.

"Nice!" Interrupted Allie annoyed by the attitude of this poor woman's parents. She had first hand experience with negligent guardians. Nick silently agreed but continued with his presentation.

"Stephen Armedes came down to the morgue and identified Janice. Our victim is definitely Janice Hawkins his girlfriend. Last seen by a neighbour leaving her house at about seven pm on the night she died. The neighbour didn't notice anyone hanging around or trying to follow her. Next we know is our witness placing her in the hotel bar at about eight thirty talking to Barillaro and Marsiliani."

"OK what about Jason?"

"Jason Hawkins, sixteen, last seen two weeks ago at his school. At the moment we think he's a runaway, children's services have been notified," stated Nick.

"OK. Any luck tracking him down?" Matt asked Nick.

"Not much really. There's no father in the picture or any other family that I could find. Janice's parents excepted and unfortunately they aren't interested," he said sadly.

Jenn's phone beeped with a text message from Jason. "Excuse me a minute," and she walked outside the meeting room. Jason had postponed their meeting. She sighed in frustration. _He must have got cold feet_ she thought. She tried calling him but it just went to voicemail. She left a message and went back inside. Nick was still speaking.

"Children's services are still looking into it for me. Jenn managed to get his mobile number. She's been following up on that," stated Nick looking at Jenn to continue.

"Nick and I tracked down some of his friends," replied Jenn. "I've spoken with him and he said he's OK. We arranged a meeting at Flinders Lane for this morning but he just texted me to cancel it and his phone went to voicemail when I tried calling. He didn't sound scared when I spoke with him yesterday but I think he could be running from something. The other day when I spoke with him he said he had something to give me but wouldn't tell me what it was. I just have a feeling he knows something."

"OK," Matt nodded, "keep following up on that. Keep us informed."

"Don't I always?" Teased Jenn with a smile. Matt just rolled his eyes slightly and smiled back at her.

"Right. Nick what else 've you got?" Asked Matt. Nick continued.

"The search of her place didn't turn anything much up. No client book, date book, no mobile phone and no computer."

"That's odd," said Jenn. "Stephen Armedes said she was doing a computer course so where's the computer?"

"Good question," said Matt making a note on the board. "We found her handbag containing her ID in a dumpster round the back of the hotel and that package sent to us the other day turned out to be a date book with Janice's name in it. Forensics are still processing it so we don't have any further information about it yet but we asked Stephen to have a look at it when he was here. He said he recognised it as the one Janice used to keep a track of her client meetings and guess whose name was in it?"

"Minister Strangewood?" Guessed Jenn in surprise.

"Bingo!"

"But he had a pretty good alibi for the murder so it couldn't have been him," she said perplexed.

"That's true but he might still know something and he was definitely lying about having never met her before." Matt moved Minister Strangewood's picture to the suspect list. He had hoped they'd completely ruled out Strangewood as a suspect but this new evidence put him back in the picture. Matt really hoped that he was just a liar and they could eliminate him again he didn't want to have to deal with the politics a minister's involvement would require! "Nick, Duncan go and question him again once we're done here," he sighed.

"So what about our other suspects?" Asked Matt.

"Estelle Armedes was fairly obvious about how much she hated Janice yet she said she'd never even met her. Unfortunately I couldn't break her alibi," commented Allie. "She was hosting a dinner at her house on the night of the murder. All ten dinner guests and the family chef confirmed it."

"What about the wife, Susie Armedes?"

"Nah dead end," said Allie. "She said she'd seen Marsiliani before but she couldn't remember where. We'll check into it but I'm not expecting to come up with much. I don't think she knows anything she's a kitten."

"You sure? Kittens have claws," suggested Jarvis.

"Really. I don't think she did it, she's not the type ay Jenn?" Jenn shook her head in response to Allie.

Everyone remained thoughtful for a few minutes as they surveyed the board. Jenn broke the silence,

"Well even though both Estelle Armedes and Martin Strangewood have an alibi it doesn't rule either of them out of paying someone else to kill Janice," she said contemplatively.

"You mean a hit?" asked Matt.

"Yeah"

"Hmm," said Matt thoughtfully raising his eyebrows as he considered the idea. "What motive would either of them have to pay to have her out of the way though? She doesn't appear to have been much of a threat to anyone that we have found out."

"Hmm true," said Jenn "though there could well be reasons we just haven't found yet that either of them could have to wanted to get rid of her."

"Well if it _was_ a hit then I'd say that probably rules out Barillaro and Marsiliani," stated Jarvis.

"You don't think they could have done this for cash?"

"Nah doesn't fit their profile. They're just small time thugs they've never murdered anyone let alone for hire before," said Jarvis thoughtfully. "All the same it won't hurt to do some checking around."

"Stephen Armedes said Janice didn't have a pimp, she was freelance. He said he didn't recognise Barillaro and Marsiliani either. We haven't found any evidence to suggest they even met before the night she died. So it doesn't look like it was likely to be related to her line of work."

"As I said murder isn't their usual MO." Said Terry thoughtfully. "Maybe they didn't intend to kill her, things just got out of hand?"

"Could simply be a drug deal gone bad." Said Nick

"Hmm I don't think so," said Jenn. "Stephen said she'd got off drugs, she was clean and Ronnie's report confirmed that."

"Maybe she fell off the wagon. Been known to happen," stated Nick

"Yeah but there weren't really enough drugs in her system, only trace amounts. Take into account the healed needle tracks…. which does actually beg the question why there was even a trace amount?" Puzzled Jenn. "And why is Jason hiding? He must be running for something. He didn't report his mum missing either. I'm sure he knows something about it maybe even who did it?"

"Well until we find more evidence all of this is just theories anyway," said Allie.

"That's right. I think we need to do further background research on all our suspects as well as the victim." said Matt. "So how _are_ we doing with evidence?" Matt looked around the room at his team and Duncan spoke up.

"Uniforms found a plastic bag stuffed in a dumpster behind the pub where Ricky worked. It had a belt and some bloody shirts in it. It's with forensics now for processing," added Duncan.

"And the mark on Janice's cheek came back as a match to Ricky's. ring and her DNA was all over it. So we got him for assault but unfortunately not for murder," said Matt, "but it does prove he was there. At the moment neither he or Marsiliani are talking but Jarvis and I'll use this new evidence to lean on them a bit further and see what we get."

"All right. Good work everyone but even though it looks like those two probably did kill her but we still don't know why they did it." Stated Matt. "Lets get moving!"

As she was walking back to her desk Jenn's phone rang. It was Jason.

"I'm really sorry about this morning,"

"That's OK I just want to know you're OK. Look if you're afraid, if you're hiding from someone I can help you. We can find you a safe place for you to stay, we can protect you." She waited a moment but there was just silence on the line. "I can send a car to pick you up?" Suggested Jenn. "Where are you?" He stayed silent. "Do you know who killed your mum?"

"You can't stop them."

"We already have the two men in custody who we think did it: Ricky Barillaro and Jo Marsiliani. They can't hurt you anymore."

"It's not them I'm afraid of," he stated. "They know that I know now. I'm not safe. I have something that proves it. I'm going to get it to you somehow."

"You said 'they.' If you tell me who 'they' are and what 'they' did maybe I can do something about it. Help you stop them. Just let me come and get you and we can talk OK?"

"I can't talk now," he said in a whisper. "I'll tell you where to meet me later." The line went dead at that point. Jenn tried calling back but it went to voicemail. Jenn left a message re-stating that if he could come to the station or tell her where he was she could make sure he was safe. She sighed in irritation, if only she could have found out where he was. She prayed that he stayed safe and that he did call her back.

She sat at her desk thinking. Her mind wandered back to their team meeting. She pondered their discussion for a moment. On a hunch she decided to call Ronnie Lafferty.


	8. Where is he?

I realise it may seem like there hasn't been much Nick and Jenn in the story so far but don't worry there will be ;) Thanks to all who have made comments - as always most appreciated!

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><p>Disclaimer: I do not own City Homicide or it's characters (unfortunately) nor do I own Where I Stood by missy Higgins.<p>

This is pure fiction any likeness to real people or events, strange but purely coincidental.

This chapter contains parts of dialogue (marked with an *) from City Homicide Season 4 Episode 22 by John Hugginson and John Banas

* * *

><p>"<em>And I won't be far from where you are if ever you should call You meant more to me then any one I've ever loved at all"<em>

_But you taught me how to trust myself And so I say to you, this is what I have to do."_

_ Where I Stood by Missy Higgins_

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><p>Jenn woke early the following morning. She hadn't slept very well because she'd been so worried about Jason. She'd kept trying his phone throughout the previous day but each time it went to voicemail. She prayed he'd call her back today.<p>

She had some breakfast and it was still early so she went for a run. On the way back to her house she passed the corner store. She went in and bought a paper. They had hot bacon rolls in the back and they smelled so good. Usually she avoided that kind of food but the cereal she'd eaten before she left wasn't enough and she was ravenous again. She stood there arguing with herself for a few moments: She didn't really have to watch her weight and she never ate that kind of food but it really smelled so good. She wanted one! She found herself walking the rest of the way home gleefully munching on a bacon roll. _So much for the run_ she thought ruefully. As she reached her front door her phone rang. She answered eagerly hoping it was Jason.

"Jenn it's Ronnie." Ronnie sounded excited. "You wanna meet me down here? I found something!"

The body of Janice Hawkins lay on a gurney covered with a sheet. Jenn and Ronnie were standing over it looking over Ronnie's autopsy findings.

"Your hunch was right," beamed Ronnie. "I found a needle mark on the back of her thigh. It took me a while to find it. Not like me to miss something like that usually but it was so small. It looked just like a bruise. I had to look at it under high magnification to see the needle mark at all. I found minute traces of sodium pentobarbital around the wound."

"So could she have done that herself?"

"Well in theory yes but it'd be bloody awkward wouldn't it? If she wanted to shoot up why not choose one of her arms? That's where she usually did it."

"What if she was trying to hide that she was using again?" Queried Jenn

"She could have shot up between her toes. That's a lot easier to reach. It's also odd to stick yourself in the back of the leg with sodium pentobarbital. The usual way to take it recreationally is orally via a capsule. That and the trace amounts left in her system and my opinion is that someone else tried to stick her with the needle probably to knock her out. There wasn't enough in her system to knock her out cold so maybe because she struggled they didn't get the full dose into her?"

"Hmm OK. Thanks for doing that for me Ronnie," smiled Jenn. Ronnie winked at her as she started to walk back out of the door. _So if Barillaro and Marsiliani did it they definitely intended to kill Janice_. She dialled Matt's number to let him know what she'd found out.

Nick and Duncan made their way inside the grand entrance of Number 1 Treasury Place and entered the ornate, antique elevator decorated with Victorian forest wood panelling to interview Minister Strangewood again. The rooms that made up Minister Strangewood's office space were cavernous and corniced, with large windows looking out over a view of Gordon Reserve. They were decorated in the usual style with regal but uncomfortable studded red leather armchairs and large, ornately carved desks and matching cupboards. Rachel McBride sat behind one of the ornate desks in the first room that Duncan and Nick entered. She looked up and smiled when she saw them.

"We're here to see Minister Strangewood. We need to ask him a couple more questions," stated Duncan.

"Would you mind waiting over here for a few minutes?" She ushered them over to another corner of the room where there was a large leather sofa with carved legs and a coffee table with today's newspapers and some magazines on it. "Would you like a tea or coffee?" She offered.

"No thank you. Just tell the Minister we're here please," stated Nick. Rachel went back over to her desk and picked up the phone and started speaking quietly into it. Duncan and Nick looked at each other knowingly. After a few minutes Rachel came back over to them.

"I'm very sorry Minister Strangewood can't get out of his meeting. Would you like to make a time to come back later?"

"This is a murder investigation. If he can't make the time to see us now we're more than happy to take him down to the station to speak with us," stated Nick firmly.

Rachel looked nervous and then a door behind her opened.

"It's OK Rachel you don't have to protect me anymore," said Minister Strangewood. He beckoned Duncan and Nick into his office.

"Close the door after you please, Rachel." She nodded and closed the door as she left his office.

"She's a great assistant, extremely literate and very loyal. Her only fault, if you can call it one, is she'd do anything to protect me."

"Minister Strangewood I think you know why we're here," began Duncan. The large ornate desk Strangewood sat behind acted like an impenetrable barrier between them. "Lying to the police is a very serious offence."

"I know, I know," Strangewood sweated. "Martin, please," he said, "Call me Martin. I know why you're here."

"Why didn't you tell us you knew Janice Hawkins and that you were one of her clients?"

"Don't blame Rachel for any of this. She didn't know and she still doesn't know about Janice and I'd prefer to keep it that way if possible," he said sheepishly.

"I thought you said she organised your schedule and went everywhere you did?" Stated Duncan.

"I kept her out of the loop on this one. Look you know I was at the Wilderness Society dinner on the night Janice died so I couldn't have killed her."

Nick felt annoyed at the man's arrogance and decided to be forthright and come straight out with what he wanted to know, "We know you have an alibi for the murder that's not in question. What we want to know is why you lied about not knowing Janice. Did she embarrass you? Did you pay to have her killed?"

Strangewood looked horrified, "No! Of course not!" He said emphatically. Duncan and Nick did not look convinced, they'd heard it all before and were just waiting to hear what excuse this guy was going to come up with. Strangewood sighed, "This looks really bad I know. " _Ya think_ thought Duncan giving Nick a slight look. Ruddy politicians couldn't lay straight in bed.

Strangewood sighed again, "Look we had an arrangement. I saw Janice once a week, sometimes more, for the last few years. She was a nice girl. I cared about her."

"Yeah you cared so much about her you told us you didn't know her!" Stated Duncan disgusted.

"That was a mistake," implored Strangewood. "I always paid her more than she asked for because I knew she had a child to take care of and she was trying to get ahead. I don't know why anyone would want to kill her she wouldn't have hurt a fly. I shouldn't have said I didn't know who she was but I panicked. She was hidden in my room. Dead. I thought you'd think I did it. But I had no clue how or why she ended up murdered _and_ in my room. I had nothing to do with that I swear!"

"Have you ever seen either of these two men?" Nick held up the photos of Barillaro and Marsiliani. He studied them for a moment.

"No. No. I've never seen those two in my life before. Look you won't find anything. I had nothing to do with this!"

"You leave that up to us to determine and you better pray we don't find anything linking you to her death!" stated Duncan.

"All right," Said Nick as he and Duncan got up to leave.

"Are you going to charge me?" Duncan gave Nick a look. They'd leave that up to DSUP Jarvis and DS Wolfe to decide.

"We'll be in touch Sir," said Duncan

"Thinks he's such an eleemosynary," muttered Nick sarcastically as they were getting back into the elevator.

"Yeah real humanitarian," agreed Duncan, disgusted.

By late afternoon Jenn was starting to get really worried about Jason. She couldn't figure out why he kept putting off meeting her and wouldn't tell her where he was. She'd said she could protect him if he didn't feel safe but she obviously hadn't managed to fully gain his trust she thought sadly. He _must_ be hiding from someone she rationalised. If only she could get him to tell her who it was he was so frightened of. She thought that it _had_ to be someone connected with his mother's murder but who else could be involved apart from Barillaro and Marsiliani? It lent proof though to their theory that someone may have paid them to kill Janice. Though why she hadn't quite figured out yet. Hopefully everything was all right and he was still safe. It eventuated that Jason didn't call her back he just sent her another text message. All it contained was an address in Carlton.

The address Jason gave turned out to be a crumbling old Victorian terraced house. It would have been gorgeous once but now it was sadly neglected, a 'renovators dream.' _Nick would probably love this place _she smiled to herself. It looked derelict. Jenn pushed open the rusty gate and walked up the weed-infested path to the rotting front door. She called out Jason's name but there was no answer. She called again a couple of times. No one answered. She drew her gun, yelled out a police warning that she was coming in, mentally prepared herself for finding the worst and kicked open the front door. The place stank and there had obviously been squatters there fairly recently but there was no one there now that she could see. She looked around further and went upstairs. The smell of human excrement, rubbish and other things she'd rather not think about in the place made her wretch. She went outside into the back yard to get some air. When she opened the kitchen door to get outside she got a fright when she startled an old man clad in dirty rags sitting in the corner. He swore something unmentionable at her before shuffling off. She stood out in what was the garden taking deep breaths of the cleaner air and waiting for her racing heart to still. After she'd waited more than an hour she left Jason another voice message. She had no other way of contacting him. She tried questioning a couple of youths she saw playing football on the grass in the middle of the street but the only thing she managed to find out was that they'd seen a boy that might have been Jason around but they couldn't remember when or even if it was today. They didn't know where he'd gone. Frustrated, Jenn felt even more concerned now. The weather had turned nasty and cold and it had started to rain, a really drenching rain. _Great_ she thought. There was nothing more she could do from here so she headed back to Flinders St.

When she got back she couldn't find a car park close to the police building. As luck would have it she'd taken her own car today and not a fleet vehicle. She was mentally cursing herself all the way back inside. She was cold, soaked and really pissed off now. She knew she must look a fright with her hair plastered down the sides of her face and she wondered if any of the stink from the house had stuck to her clothes but she was more concerned about Jason than making herself look and feel presentable, She flopped in her desk chair feeling dizzy and irritated and she realised that the last thing she had eaten that day was at breakfast and she had no time to get herself lunch. She felt like she wanted to throw up again. _Great_. _Just great_. She hung her damp coat over the back of her chair and sat down, taking a grateful sip of the hot tea that was waiting on her desk. She wondered which one of her colleagues was thoughtful enough to have left it there for her.

"Mmm" she sighed and closed her eyes. Soymilk just as she liked it. _Nick_ she thought happily. It was times like this especially that she missed Nick's comforting hugs. She wondered vaguely how he knew when she was coming back in. He was the only one who remembered how she liked her tea and the fact that she never drank coffee in the afternoon.

"Did you find him?" Nick looked over from his desk next to Jenn's. She put on a tough exterior but he knew how much cases with kids affected her.

"No. I waited around for an hour but he was a no show and no one has seen him. He's not answering his phone and I checked back at the flat where he said he'd been living, he wasn't there either. I'm really worried. "

"Here have this." He said handing her a sandwich shyly, "I saved it for you. I'm willing to bet you haven't eaten yet."

"Thanks Nick." For the first time in weeks he gave her a smile before he went back to work.

She put out a KLOF on Jason and rang around the hospitals to check if a boy matching his description had come in but no one had seen him. She ran a trace his mobile but all she could tell was that it was last active near the Cemetery on Lygon street in Carlton at nine that morning and it was now switched off. She sighed trying to think of anything else she could do to track him down. On an off chance she called Stephen Armedes but he hadn't seen Jason either. He seemed just as concerned about him as Jenn was. She huffed in aggravation as her stomach growled angrily, reminding her of the sandwich Nick had given her. She may as well eat. The sandwich looked very inviting. She took another sip of her tea. Touched by Nick's thoughtfulness and craving a little more of his attention she looked over at his desk and tried to catch his eye. He was concentrating intently at something on his computer screen and didn't or wouldn't look at her. She watched him for a moment. He looked like he hadn't been sleeping very well; his eyes were red rimmed and tired looking.

Jenn liked the way her life was. She didn't want it to change much. She knew for a while that she'd felt attracted to Nick but she hadn't allowed it to surface until their second undercover mission when they'd both realised, clinging to each other for comfort and support, that their feelings for each other were so strong. It was so intense that she'd felt like her way of life, her independence and her job were threatened by their relationship. She loved Nick but she was afraid to take the risk. His voice echoed in her mind, "_Lets get married, have some kids….I've never wanted that with anyone before but I want that with you."* _At the time when he said it, it had thrown her a bit but she'd thought about it a lot since. Right now she longed to have Nick wrapped around her again when she went to bed tonight. A niggling voice in the back of her head asked her if the job really was worth giving that up for. She stared down into her tea again and took a bite out of the sandwich but it didn't sit right in her stomach and after a minute of feeling really nauseous she rushed off to the bathroom.

Nick raised his eyes, watching her over his computer screen. He took note but didn't say anything. Senior Constable Phillippa Stern walked over and waited by his desk.

"Nick there's someone here to see you," She motioned her head towards a tall, attractive, dark haired girl smiling at him from by the lift doors. She gave him a cute wave when he looked up at her. Nick gave a small sigh. He wondered what she was after. He got up to go over and talk to her.

Rachel shifted on her feet nervously, "Look I just wanted to say that I honestly had no idea Martin knew that girl. I really didn't," she implored him, "because if I'd known I would have said something. I would have! I'd do nearly anything for him but I wouldn't lie for him especially to the police." She said earnestly looking him in the eye. Nick knew Rachel didn't have anything to do with Janice's murder. They'd thoroughly looked into Strangewood and could find no motive for him to want her dead. Apart from being a liar he appeared to be unconnected. He observed Rachel for a brief moment, her contriteness having captured some of his interest. She had the most striking eyes he'd ever seen, large almond shaped and coloured a really deep green. Her skin was flawless and accentuated by her shiny, dark hair. He didn't think he'd ever met anyone so beautiful and apart from her flirtatious nature she seemed completely oblivious to the affect she had on those around her.

Jenn got back to her desk and noticed Nick standing over by the lifts talking to a tall attractive woman. She watched curiously before forcing herself to look back at her computer screen.

"You didn't need to come down here we aren't going to charge you. Your alibi is solid and Strangewood told us you didn't know he knew Janice," he said making a slight move back towards his desk expecting her to end their conversation and leave.

"Actually I ah wondered if you'd come out to dinner with me." Rachel asked shyly. "Now you've ruled out me out as a suspect you don't have any excuse." Nick raised an eyebrow in surprise. Duncan might have been right after all but then again Nick wasn't looking so he didn't tend to notice anything but the most obvious of signs. This girl was gutsy and he was flattered by her attention. He smiled.

"You don't take no for an answer do you?"

"Nope," she said flirtatiously, "Comes with the job. So are you up for it?" Nick was slightly taken aback. He thought for a moment. He wasn't entirely sure about Rachel but he was a free man after all and it couldn't hurt. Some female company and a good dinner would be nice and he was pretty sure he could handle anything she threw at him. Anyway it would be nice to go out instead of staying in and working on the house for once. It would be good for him. It'd been a while since he'd been out.

"All right."

"What about next Friday after work, 7:30? I'll meet you at Young and Jackson's on Swanston. We can decide where to go from there. You know where that is?" He nodded. She took him by surprise when she reached up and kissed him on the cheek smiling at him before she walked back towards the lift. He put his hands in his pockets and watched her as she walked away. _Nice legs. Bit forward but that's not necessarily a bad thing…_. As beautiful as she was Nick wasn't completely bowled over by her but Friday night could certainly be interesting. He smiled to himself as he walked back to his desk.

Jenn couldn't help herself. She'd watched their exchange and although she knew she had no right to she couldn't help feeling unhappy about it.

Duncan leaned over towards Nick's desk when he got back and whistled softy, "So what did she want," he said in a low conspiratorial voice.

"She asked me out to dinner," he said quietly, acutely aware of that fact that Jenn was within earshot.

"So?" Prodded Duncan. Nick said nothing he raised an eyebrow _later mate_ and Duncan winked at him. "Drink after work?"

"Sure," he smiled.


	9. Theories

I have to say that this is one of my favourite chapters that have come out so far. I hope you guys like it too :D

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><p>Disclaimer: I do not own City Homicide or it's characters (unfortunately) nor do I own Where I Stood by missy Higgins.<p>

This is pure fiction any likeness to real people or events, strange but purely coincidental.

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><p>"<em>I don't know what I've done Or if I like what I've begun But something told me to run And honey you know me it's all or none<em>

_There were sounds in my head A little voice is whispering That I should go and this should end Oh and I found my self listening…._

_See I thought love was black and white That it was wrong or it was right But you aren't leaving without a fight And I think I am just as torn inside"_

_ Where I Stood by Missy Higgins_

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><p><em>Strong arms held her lovingly, warm lips brushed gently against hers, whispering words of endearment in the dark. Warmth and comfort and his larger body wrapped protectively around hers as they slept with their legs entangled. More peace and happiness than she'd ever felt before, trusting him with all her desires and her heart.<em>

"Nick?" Jenn woke up cold and shivering. She clutched a pillow, tears on her cheek. She placed her hand on the cold, empty side of the bed. She wanted Nick. She ached for him. It was more than two months now and she still couldn't get used to sleeping without him next to her. She remembered the feeling of the cold metal of the wedding ring on his hand against her skin as he comforted her the night she was shot and she wondered what it would be like to be married to him for real, to always have him next to her. She wrapped her arms around herself. She knew she was being ridiculously emotional, probably because she'd seen him with that woman. She allowed herself to sob for a few minutes before she got up and rushed to the bathroom to give in to the sudden overwhelming urge to chunder. She washed her face and brushed her teeth to get rid of the sick taste. After that she was fully awake and didn't feel like going back to bed so she dressed and decided to do some cleaning. What better way to exorcise her frustrations than with some vigorous cleaning? But as she scrubbed her mind wandered back into familiar territory. She smiled to herself that it was another thing they had in common and something she really liked about Nick: she didn't have to always be cleaning up after him. There was really no reason for her to suppose that she and Nick couldn't be married for real and make it work. For all intents and purposes, omitting the sex part _which by the way was awesome when we finally got round to it_ she smirked she'd already been married to Nick, twice, and forgetting the dangerous aspect of their assignments she'd enjoyed it both times. The first time they'd hardly known each other though the attraction was there from the start. It had made slipping into their roles as Trish and Wesley easier. They'd even kissed each other a couple of times writing it off as maintaining their cover. The second time had been much harder on both of them because they'd got to know each other as Nick and Jenn and they realised the attraction was still there: His arm that would always find it's way around her waist, the warmth of his body behind hers as they lay in bed, the accidental touches in the dark and the frustration of wanting to go further but knowing they had a job to do and were always being watched.

They'd got along well without many disagreements she thought as she scrubbed the shower but the fumes from the cleaning products were making her feel sick again. She rushed to the toilet. Urgh this was really getting ridiculous, she hated being sick. She hoped she got over this bug or whatever it was soon. She studied herself in the mirror to see if she had put on any weight. She didn't think she had but she subconsciously sucked in her stomach. _Damn you Allie!_ She gave up on the bathroom and moved to the kitchen where there were no mirrors, to wash the floor. When she'd finished, despite all the housework she still felt restless. She got into the car and drove around aimlessly for a while before she decided to go back into work and look back over the case notes. It would take her mind off how much she missed Nick and maybe she'd discover something they hadn't seen before.

Nick sat at his desk gripping his tea mug, the hot ceramic burning his fingers, while a search was running on his computer screen. He stared blankly off into space. The emptiness in his life now kept him from sleep. He didn't think he'd had a great nights sleep since he'd realised she was starting to pull away from him. He'd coped since then by burying himself in work, both at home and in the office, staying late, occasionally all-night. He briefly allowed himself to remember how it felt to hold Jenn in his arms: the joy they had shared all so briefly in the comfort of each other. Those feelings that he'd denied and kept buried for so long had strengthened and blossomed during their second undercover operation into a love that desired the permanence of commitment. He was building himself a home with her. He pictured their future together filled with the joy of family and normality. Their relationship had offered him a haven of trust, companionship, and love away from the storm of death and decay that was their everyday life in homicide. It was a shelter of hope from his solitary existence outside of work and finally an end to the loneliness of drifting from one meaningless affair to the next. He tried to focus his mind on things other than Jenn but during the quiet moments he found his thoughts returning to the same subject over and over again: Maybe if he hadn't been so blinded by his own bliss he would have realised how hard it was for Jenn to keep their relationship secret. _Was there anything I could have done differently?_ He shook his head. Hindsight was a wondrous thing. The pain of his failure caused a tear to fall and hit the back of his hand. He slammed his fist on the desk in exasperation. She had his heart. He thought he'd found his soul mate in her but the reality was she just wasn't ready to take their relationship further so he'd have to live with it. He just hoped it wasn't permanent.

He heard the lift doors swish open in the silent office and eerily familiar footsteps on the floor behind him. _Who on earth is coming in here at this time of the morning?_ He hurriedly wiped his face in irritation and turned to see the last person he expected to see.

"I didn't think there'd be anyone else here," Jenn said softly as she sat down in her chair.

"It's very late. " He looked at his watch, "What are you doing here at this time of the morning?"

"I could ask you the same question," she said teasing him.

"You couldn't sleep?" he postulated. The office light revealed the trail of a tear on his cheek and her heart turned over in pain when she noticed it.

"You either huh?" she replied.

"Yeah." He looked down into his tea. "You still worried about Jason?"

"I thought I'd review my notes again see if we missed anything." She sat down, booted up her computer and started to bring up the files on the case. "Did you have any more luck tracking down who Jason's father is?"

"No. The name on his birth certificate just said 'unknown'." He sighed with sadness that any child should have to grow up not knowing who both their parents were. "But how's that relevant now?"

"I don't know yet. I want to know who his father is. I just have this feeling that Jason is somehow connected in all of this. I mean why is he running? He's so scared he won't even come here." She sat mulling over the ideas in her head for a few minutes before turning to Nick again. "Hey. I just had this thought," Jenn said excitedly. "What if Stephen Armedes is his real father?"

"What makes you think that?"

"Hmm I don't know yet but what if he was?" She continued on almost as though she were talking to herself. Talking over her theories out loud. "Stephen and Janice could have known each other years ago. If that's the case then Mrs Armedes probably _did_ meet her or _at least _know about her."

"Not necessarily," Nick interjected. He loved discussing theories like this with Jenn again it was like old times. "Teenaged boys can be very secretive," he smiled at her.

"So can girls." She flashed him the hint of a flirtatious smile at the return of their old camaraderie before looking back at her notes again. "But what reason would she have to want Janice dead or Jason for that matter?" She questioned to herself thoughtfully.

"Money maybe?" Suggest Nick. "It _is_ the root of all evil."

"Hmm…yes but Mrs Armedes has plenty of money of her own. Susie Armedes _did_ mention that Stephen couldn't access his money unless he wasn't using drugs. I did some research and found out that Mrs Armedes claimed power of attorney over Stephen ten years ago. I assume to prevent him from wasting his inheritance but I'm not sure how that would affect her. Worth investigating a bit further though."

He watched her as she concentrated on Jason's case file and started looking things up on her computer. Jenn's beauty was of a completely different kind than Rachel's. She was real to him, her kindness, integrity and intelligence shone through her pale green eyes. She spoke to him with those eyes. They'd shone with love for him though she'd never spoken it out loud and he clung to that hope. Her blonde hair flopped over her face and he had to restrain himself from brushing it back. The low lighting and the late night in the office created a more intimate atmosphere than during the hustle and bustle of the daytime and it reminded him of staying up studying with her all night when they had been working undercover. She'd had that same slightly tired, mussed hair look that he loved so much then too. He felt so completely drawn to her. Memories of their brief time together flashed through his head uninvited. The pain in his throat from trying to swallow the lump there became excruciating. He stood up, stretched and, trying to sound cheerful said, "I'll get you a tea."

"Thanks" she said gently as she watched him walk away. She'd nearly finished re-reading the background notes when she realised Nick had been in the break room for ages, longer than she thought it should take him to make a cup of tea. She bit her lip then decided to go and make sure he was OK.

She stood in the doorway. He was standing facing the wall, his hands gripping the edge of the bench so hard that his knuckles were white. He turned his face away from her when she walked in, "Are you OK?" she asked gently. The concern in her voice was only making it harder for him. He wanted to punch something.

"Yeah. Fine." He replied. "Sorry it's taking so long I had to re-fill the water. It's taking ages to boil."

She wasn't sure if that was just an excuse or not but she left it alone and walked over to him. She placed her hand on his arm in a gesture of friendship and concern. Her eyes widened with sudden acute awareness of the strength of his arm beneath her hand and she removed it. The touch was only slight but it was the first physical contact they'd had in months and it made them both unconsciously gravitate closer together. She could feel the heat from his body radiating through her clothes and his breath hot against her cheek. She knew if she gave even the slightest sign he would respond. The pull was so intense that it reminded them of why it had been so strained at work when they'd been sleeping together. Nick tried to smile at her but his chin was set and she could tell he was on the verge of breaking down. She'd never seen him like this. He was always the strong one who comforted her. He seemed so broken and it hurt her more than anything to see it.

"What's wrong?"

Her quiet voice didn't do anything to sooth his pain. He took a couple of shuddering breaths and pressed his cheek against her head, "Jenn."

_Of course._ She understood. It wasn't as though she didn't feel it too. The feelings between them were overpowering and she gave in and put her arms around him to comfort him. Immediately his arms encircled her and he held her firmly in his embrace and pressed his cheek against her hair. They melted into each other, both sighing as she rested her head against his shoulder and rubbed his back.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. Completely intoxicated by her emotions she kissed his neck. He shook his head with his cheek still against her hair, still holding her tightly he kissed her temple, then her cheek. His conscious thoughts burned through her, sucking the breath out of her. She held her hand against his cheek and they stared deeply into each other's eyes. They'd always been good at communicating without actually having to voice words and Jenn could see everything in his eyes.

"I know" she said gently, "I miss you too." She reached up on tiptoe and pressed her cheek to his. He let out a low moan and covered her mouth with his, kissing her longingly. She lost herself in his affection for a moment before she pulled away.

"We can't do this Nick," she caressed his cheek, "No matter how much we both want it."

"I told you I'd transfer," he said desperately.

She shook her head, "I can't ask you to do that."

"You aren't asking I'm offering," he said emphatically.

"But what if you transfer and you end up resenting me for it?"

He stroked her cheek. "I would never feel that way," he said firmly.

A tear ran down her face. "We both know it isn't what you really want. If we're honest neither of us want to leave homicide." She held his face, as she looked deeply into his soft, blue eyes. His handsome face revealed the turmoil within, his heart breaking because he knew she was right. He didn't want to leave homicide but he also didn't see why that should keep them apart. He nodded and turned away from her to regain his composure.

"I'll be out in a minute." He sighed in frustration and irritation, annoyed for making an idiot out of himself again. He didn't think the job was more important than how they felt about each other and he didn't think it was a problem to continue being together so long as they were discreet.

Jenn went back and sat down at her desk again, torn. Her turbid emotions questioning why it really would be such a big deal for them to continue their relationship while they were both still in homicide.


	10. I've done stupid things

"I admit I've made stupid decisions in my life. Done things I regret. Huh! Come to think of it my whole life has been one big regret and the worst one of all was that I ever listened to you! Well Janice might be dead but that hasn't changed anything. It's not yours," he gesticulated wildly, "none of it is yours. I'm going to take it back. All of it! You'll learn what it's like to have nothing for once in your sorry life!"

Laughing, "And how do you propose to do that then?"

"You've done your damned'est to make sure I have no credibility at all. Well I've spoken to a lawyer. I'm better now and I'm going to get it all back!"


	11. Miss Marplethorpe

Disclaimer: I do not own City Homicide or it's characters (unfortunately). Borrowed 'Miss Marplethorpe' from Jarvis in S05 ep 06 'cause I thought it was cool but it's not mine ;)

This is pure fiction any likeness to real people or events, strange but purely coincidental.

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><p>The team were assembled in the meeting room again to review their evidence when Matt walked in and addressed them, "The forensics reports have just come back. Looks like we've got them!" He grinned. "Janice's client book and the plastic bag that uniforms found in the dumpster outside the pub had Ricky Barillaro's fingerprints all over it and the blood on the shirt was a DNA a match to both Ricky Barillaro and Janice Hawkins. Epithelia's under Janice's fingernails were a match to Jo Marsiliani. Jo Marsiliani and Janice Hawkins DNA were also found on the belt," Matt read out from the reports.<p>

"_And_ according to Ronnie," he smiled at Jenn "Thanks to a great hunch by Jenn. She thinks they might have tried to make Janice's death look like an accident by shooting her up with Nembutal and Cocaine but she struggled and they lost their temper then beat and strangled her to death. So they can't claim it was an accident they definitely intended to kill her it just looks like things didn't go according to their plan."

"Yeah but we still don't know why they wanted to kill her though," stated Allie.

Jarvis walked in.

"Barillaro's just rolled on Marsiliani and admitted that he and Jo killed Janice. He said they followed her to the hotel and met her in the bar. They found out she was due to meet up with Minister Strangewood later that night and followed her again when she went up to his room. They used a maids stolen key card to gain entry. They were hoping to make her death look like an overdose and tried to stick her with the barbiturate to subdue her while they force fed her the cocaine but when she fought back he lost his temper and started hitting her then Jo strangled her with his belt. Then they panicked and stuffed her body in the air con vent. Ricky thought they were smart sending us her client book thinking it would shift the heat of them when we connected Strangewood to her and he would get the blame. They didn't take into account that he had a cast iron alibi for the time of the murder."

"Barillaro's prints were all over Janice's client book as well," smiled Matt.

Jarvis laughed. "Bloody idiots!"

"Pity we couldn't arrest them just for sheer stupidity," joked Duncan as he carried a tray of coffees around for everyone. He placed a steaming cup of coffee on the desk next to Jenn.

"Thanks Duncan," Jenn smiled at him. Her stomach lurched. She used to love the smell of coffee but lately she couldn't stand the smell of it. She tried to move it a bit further away and turn her head slightly so she couldn't smell it but the whole room was filled with the aroma. She attempted to ignore it and concentrate on the discussion.

"No but here's the really interesting bit," continued Jarvis. "Ricky said that someone paid Jo to kill her that's why they followed her to the hotel. Unfortunately Barillaro didn't know who just that his first name was John."

"Just when we thought we'd solved it," said Duncan sardonically. "Did you get Marsiliani to tell you who put him up to it?"

"No. He still won't talk about that which is a bit odd," said Jarvis.

"Well I doubt that this 'John' is Strangewood," said Matt. "We haven't found any evidence to suggest Martin Strangewood has ever met them plus why would they try to set him up if he'd paid them? It wouldn't make any sense. If Strangewood _had_ wanted Janice dead then I doubt he would have had them do it in his hotel room and hide her there."

"Well I was doing some research…" started Jenn.

"Oh here we go Miss Marplethorpe," grinned Jarvis. Jenn raised an eyebrow at him and he bowed his head in recognition, "I'm sorry go ahead." Jenn smiled.

"Who would want Janice out of the way enough to kill her? Susie Armedes said Stephen couldn't access his money unless he was clean. I looked up Paul McGinty's will and all his money was left to Stephen on his 21st birthday with the caveat that he be of sound mind. Until that time it was held in trust for him. If Stephen dies then all the money goes to his son if he has one if he doesn't it all goes to charity. A bit over ten years ago now Estelle Armedes obtained power of attorney over Stephen in order to control his money claiming that he was a drug addict and alcoholic and therefore not of sound mind. It was all a bit dodgy. If Stephen had been in the right frame of mind and got himself a good lawyer he probably could have contested it but Susie Armedes said she tried everything to get Stephen to get help and he wouldn't. They were married for nearly six years and the marriage failed because of it. She said Stephen's mother refused to help them. It's clear from her attitude and what Stephen's wife said that she doesn't have much maternal feeling towards him. It almost looks like she wanted him to stay hooked. She at least didn't care that he was; he'd been that way since he was a teen. But with Janice and Jason in his life Stephen was finally getting help. He'd been in rehab because Janice had persuaded him. He said Janice was helping him get clean. He needed to stay clean for at least five months and if that happened he could claim his money back."

"Yeah but why would that be a motive to kill Janice?"

"I have a theory…"

Jarvis grinned at Jenn and Jenn gave a half smile.

"Estelle _wants_ Stephen on drugs so that she can retain access to his money. Until Janice came along he was an addict but with her and Jason in his life he was finally getting his act together. If he did that he could claim his inheritance back, which would cut off Estelle's access to his money. She could have tried to pay Janice off to get rid of her and when that didn't work she could easily have paid Marsiliani to murder Janice and with Janice out of the way it would probably push Stephen back over the edge and he wouldn't be able to claim his money."

"That's pretty cold," stated Duncan.

"That's the kind of person I got the impression she is," said Allie in a matter of fact tone of voice. "She didn't even bat an eye at Janice's morgue picture. She almost looked pleased and said she deserved it. She told Jenn and me how much she hated Janice even though she denied ever meeting her. In my opinion she could easily have paid someone like Barillaro or Marsiliani to kill her," said Allie.

"I think Jason Hawkins is on the run because he knows who's behind his mother's death. He said he had proof," added Jenn.

"What about Stephen's wife Susie? They're still legally married. Doesn't she have a motive then?" Asked Duncan.

"Nah," said Allie. "I don't think she's involved. She and Stephen have been separated for years."

"Yeah but you said they weren't divorced yet. Maybe she thought he'd come back to her and Janice got in the way or she just wants his money too?" Suggested Nick

"Maybe but I still don't think she did it."

"Me either," agreed Jenn. "She doesn't seem the type also the money only goes to Stephen or his son if he were to have one. Not Susie. At the moment Estelle Armedes has control over it."

"Yeah but why would Estelle Armedes want Stephen's money she doesn't need it? She's got millions out of her divorce settlements from Paul McGinty _and_ Dennis Armedes" queried Allie.

"Greed? Oldest motive in the book next to jealously," offered Jarvis.

"The 'John' Barillaro named who paid Jo to bump Janice off could have been John Whittaker," suggested Jenn, "Estelle Armedes' husband."

"John's a pretty common name we need a lot more to go on but it's a good theory," said Matt, as always impressed by Jennifer's detective skills. "Well done Jenn keep going."

She felt pleased that her theory was starting to pan out and it looked like they might be closer to discovering why Janice had been murdered. Grateful the meeting was over she made her way to the bathroom. That coffee was the final straw it was now or never.

_Ha! That'd be right_ she thought to herself _bloody great!_ Why hadn't this scenario occurred to her? After feeling crook for more time than she was able to blame on what she may have eaten she'd bought herself a pregnancy test. Feeling foolish she rummaged around in her handbag for her diary while she waited anxiously for the stick to tell her whether her life was about to change irrevocably. She looked at the date she'd marked. Her last period was in October just before she went undercover and it was now late December. _Shit!_ How had she not noticed that she missed? She wasn't a stupid person. She supposed it was because of everything that had been going on, being undercover, her breakup with Nick and being so busy and focused on work.

She stared down at the plastic stick. Time was up. Still clinging vainly to the hope that she had some kind of weird virus that was making her ill she'd sat there for twice as long as the directions on the box said it took for the results to show, hoping one of the lines would disappear but yes there were definitely two little pink stripes. _Shit, shit, shit!_ Jenn was stunned. She nodded dumbly to herself and swallowed, still reeling, her body feeling hot and cold at the same time with the shock of it. She'd really had no reason the think this could happen. She'd always been careful but then again no contraceptive method was 100%. She supposed the meds she'd had to take could also have interfered. She hadn't really thought about it at the time. She and Nick had been so happy; they'd just completed their assignment and got out alive. They could finally be together without being watched all the time. This news could not have had worse timing. She sat down on the toilet lid feeling like this was some sort of karma coming to kick her in the ass for breaking up with Nick.

When she exited the toilets she was almost knocked down by Nick coming in the opposite direction. He grabbed her arms to stop her falling over. She blushed and pulled her arms around her waist. Was Allie right about her being fatter round the middle? She hadn't noticed but now she felt as though it was obvious to everyone that she was pregnant even though she knew logically no one would be able to tell. She gave him an acknowledging smile and tried to walk on but he held her arms gently and studied her face, his eyes full of concern, "Hey, are you all right?" The tears welled up in her eyes slightly at the tenderness in his voice. She felt like he'd know just by looking her in the eye and she wanted to tell him. _Not here. I can't tell him here._

She looked at him as though she was going to say something but then she nodded with a weak smile and continued down the corridor as he watched her walk away curiously.

The local pharmacy she'd gone to only had boxes with six tests in them so she had five more left. She could wait a week and do another one she reasoned. There were other reasons why women missed their periods, stress being one and she was stressed. Those tests could be wrong sometimes couldn't they? But in the back of her mind she knew the test was accurate. All the signs had been there she'd just missed them. _What am I going to do?_ Deep down she'd always hoped to be a mother but she in no way at all felt ready for a child right now but she couldn't consider an abortion, she could never do that. She swiped angrily at a tear that had started to run down her cheek. She was pregnant ready or not. Nick said he wanted kids but that was before. She sighed. She'd have to tell him eventually and she couldn't leave it too long before she had that conversation with him.


	12. She Who dares

Disclaimer: I do not own City Homicide or it's characters (unfortunately) nor do I own Where I Stood by missy Higgins.

This is pure fiction any likeness to real people or events, strange but purely coincidental.

* * *

><p>"<em>'Cause I don't know who I am, who I am without you, All I know is that I should<em>

_And I don't know if I could stand another hand upon you, All I know is that I should _

_'Cause she will love you more then I could, She who dares to stand where I stood"_

_ Where I Stood by Missy Higgins_

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><p>After his exchange with Jenn the week before Nick was starting to have second thoughts about his date with Rachel. He was half in mind to ring her and cancel but he didn't like doing that to people. One date couldn't hurt and he should go he reasoned. He should try to get to know her better. Maybe he was being an idiot waiting around for Jenn especially when she'd rejected him twice? He should at least try to move on and it may as well be with Rachel. Most men would be falling over themselves for a date with her Nick thought. Duncan certainly would have been. He decided to invite Duncan along to join them for drinks.<p>

"Are you sure mate? I don't want to cramp your style?"

Nick smirked at him, "Are you saying you don't want to join us?"

"Course not!" He looked at Nick incredulously wondering why he'd want him to come along when if it was him he'd want Rachel all to himself. "Well if you're sure?"

"It's just a drink Dunny," he smiled.

"Sure," said Duncan knowingly. Nick wondered briefly if he should extend the olive branch and invite Matt to join them. He wandered over to Matt's office as they were finishing up for the day but Matt only looked up from his paperwork briefly and declined.

"OK," said Nick. "Maybe next time?"

"Sure thing," said Matt giving him a wary smile. He knew Nick didn't think very much of him as a Sergeant and it made him all the more uneasy when he felt insecure in his new position. He wasn't sure why Nick had asked him to come along but he didn't feel comfortable about mixing with them socially at the moment so he used work as an excuse. It wasn't entirely untrue anyway he did have a mountain of reports and forms to get through. He sighed. Becoming a Sergeant had so far not been all he thought it would be: Just three times the paperwork and a million times the hassle from his team who were supposed to be his friends. He hoped things would settle down soon and start to run more smoothly. The current investigation wasn't going too badly now that they'd finally ruled out the Minister as having put a hit out on Janice thanks especially to Jenn he smiled. Thank God for her!

'Matty didn't want to come with?" Asked Duncan.

"Nah. Said he had too much work to do."

Duncan shook his head quietly. Matty didn't seem to want to come out with them for a drink anymore. He'd have to do something about that sooner or later he thought. But tonight he was looking forward to a drink with the gorgeous Rachel. Too bad it was Buchanan she asked out. He didn't seem all that keen which Duncan couldn't understand it. As they walked into the bar Duncan gave a low whistle when he spotted Rachel, "You are one lucky man Buchanan!"

Nick figured that he should feel that he was. He wasn't quite sure why Rachel had fixated on him but most men would be envious: Rachel really was stunning. Her sleek, dark hair was curled and piled high on her head showing off her slender neck. She wore a short, tight black dress that women often wore to impress a man on the first date. He glanced at Duncan who was definitely impressed! If he was being honest with himself he had to admit he was too. Rachel stood at the bar with a glass of white wine in her hand speaking with a couple of young men who were obviously enamoured of her. Nick felt flattered that it was him she had chosen to ask out. She smiled and waved at them as Duncan and Nick walked over to her and ordered themselves a drink.

Nick almost invited Duncan along to dinner but by that time he'd decided three was a crowd. All in all he didn't have the depth of rapport with Rachel that he had with Jenn but she was intelligent, good company, good looking and he liked her. They were having a good time together so they ended up finishing the night at his place. She didn't seem to have any problem taking the lead and Nick was happy to see how things played out. He started to have some second thoughts though when they arrived back at his place.

"So are you going to ask me in for coffee?"

Nick couldn't stop himself from grinning despite the fact in his mind he was hesitating. _What am I doing turning down a gorgeous woman who's throwing herself at me _he asked himself incredulously. She was nice and he liked her so he decided to be bold.

"Sure," he smiled at her and she put her arms around his neck.

As she drove up looking for somewhere to park Jenn saw Nick standing outside his front door. The door was half open and the light from inside highlighted a young slender woman standing with her arms around his neck. She looked like the same woman she'd seen him with before. As she drove by they started kissing before going inside and closing the door. She broke out in a cold sweat and kept driving. How stupid could she be? She should have called first. She drove around in a daze until she was back at her own place. She went in and sat down on her couch and tucked her knees up under her chin to think. The house suddenly felt very large and solitary and she felt acutely aware of how alone she was. She rested her cheek against her knees. She'd noticed the admiring looks sent in Nick's direction from other women, of course she had, though he didn't seem to notice or pay much attention to them most of the time. Nick was actually very modest and she didn't think he realised how attractive and desirable he was and that was apart from his kind and loving nature, his integrity and his tenderness as a lover. When she'd called things off she knew it was only a matter of time before he took someone up on an offer. She'd pushed him away twice now so she didn't blame him if he'd finally decided to go out with someone else but that still didn't prepare her for the cold hard reality of seeing him kiss another woman. It hurt. It really hurt. It made her feel like crying. She really didn't want to lose him.

She sat alone in the dark for a while. Things were awkward now, how could she tell him she was pregnant? She knew that, foolishly in the back of her mind, she'd pictured how happy he was going to be when she told him but now things were different. She knew this was her fault but knowing that didn't stop the pain. She stayed in the dark her turbulent thoughts chaotically smashing into one another before she starting to focus on the case they were working. She got up and left the house to go into the office to do more research on Estelle Armedes. After she joined homicide it had surprised her a little that her work on the fraud quad often came in useful in finding suspects' motives. So far Jenn had not been able to find any link between Estelle Armedes and Janice Hawkins but she wasn't ready to give up on her idea. As Nick had said 'money is the root of all evil' so she started to look into Estelle's finances again to see if there was any clue there, all the while trying not to think about Nick falling through his front door with someone else.

She'd been running searches and reading files for a couple of hours when her eyes were becoming too bleary to read anymore. She rubbed at them and decided to get up and make herself a cup of tea.

Standing in the low lighting of the break room at night waiting for the urn to boil reminded her of the last time she was alone here with Nick. Thoughts of their last kiss here, on this spot, rose unbidden in her mind and a tear rolled down her cheek. She wiped it away. Would she have still pushed him away for the second time if she'd known then that she was pregnant? _Silly question_ she thought. She hadn't known and at the time she'd done what she felt she had to. Except tonight, working late here by herself the homicide office no longer felt like the comfortable home that she'd made it into for the last four years. Not without Nick and the others there beside her. She realised that she was alone not just now in the office but in her life and she didn't want to be. She suddenly felt as though her career wasn't necessarily the most important thing in her life especially as things were all about to change for her anyway. While she admired her she didn't want to become like Bernice who'd lost most of her family and only had her job left because that was what she'd concentrated on all her life. She'd said she was content but Jennifer discerned an undercurrent of sadness within her and she didn't want to become like that in another ten years on the job. She discovered she _did_ after all want family and a real life outside work.

She sat back down at her desk and sipped her tea, the hot liquid as well as memories of thrashing out case theories with Nick warming her. If she ever had another chance to be with Nick again she promised herself she wouldn't push him away. Her computer beeped: one of her searches had come back with some information. She eagerly started sorting through the various reports that came up on her screen. Ah here was an interesting one: a report of a disturbance – raised voices and arguing - in Fitzroy about a month ago. She checked the address against her notes _yes_ it was Janice's unit! When the marked car had arrived a black Mercedes drove off at speed. _Hmm Estelle Armedes has a black Mercedes. No way to prove it was her car though._ She looked through the other items that had come up on her screen _hang on what's this_? A huge grin broke out across her face _I've found it!_ Wait till I tell everyone else! This coupled with her research from earlier that evening and she thought she could prove her theory. She pressed print and added the reports to her case notes.

She didn't know how exactly it happened but she must have fallen asleep at her desk because the next thing she knew she was woken when Matt placed his hand gently on her shoulder at just after six AM. She had a pounding headache from where her head had been pressed against the desk. _Office furniture is definitely not meant to be slept on_ she thought regretfully. She looked up at Matt bleary eyed.

"Burning the midnight oil again Jenn?" He asked slightly concerned. "You don't look so good. Are you OK?"

"Yeah. I couldn't sleep so I did some more research. You wait till you hear what I found!"

Matt smiled at her, "Can't wait to hear it but first I'm going to get you some breakfast."


	13. I have Proof!

"You've taken everything from me! Everything!"

"Nonsense. You don't know what you're talking about! You've made your own choices in life and you have to live with the consequences. If you don't like it then that's not my fault."

"Well that's plainly not true. You've had more than a hand in most of them. What about Dad?

Silence.

"You know you're the most selfish person I know. Parents are supposed to take care of their kids." He started yelling, "Don't walk away from me like I don't matter!" Screaming, "I know what you did! I know what you had your dirty dog do."

The retreating figure stopped. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"He told me everything. Yeah that's right. I know all your dirty little secrets. You know you could at least have the decency to be honest and admit it. I knew you were ruthless. Bloody hell I had my suspicions after Janice but I didn't honestly think even you would stoop that low!"

"You've always been a disappointment to me. You're useless you know that?"

"You never think about anyone but yourself do you? You just take what you want and do what you want without thinking about anyone else. If someone gets in your way you trample all over them. Well this time you won't get away with it. I'm going to stop you!

"And how are you going to do that? You don't even remember what happened yesterday!"

"I have proof."

"What proof? You must be off you're head again, you're talking rubbish!"

"I have evidence."

"I don't have time for this. Do what you want. No one will believe you anyway!"


	14. Gold Digger

"_And I won't be far from where you are if ever you should call, You meant more to me then any one I've ever loved at all"_

_ Where I Stood by Missy Higgins_

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><p>Jenn rounded the corner but she stopped just outside the door of the break room when she heard Nick's voice. She didn't feel quite ready to face him yet knowing he'd been with someone else and she cursed her morbid curiosity that wouldn't let her walk away immediately.<p>

"So…?" Encouraged Duncan, "How'd it go last night with the delectable Rachel after I left?"

Nick smiled shyly. "Really well actually. She's extremely intelligent as well as gorgeous. She turned out to be great company and we had a good time."

"And..?" Prodded Duncan

"_And_ we ended up on the couch together after a few more drinks..," Jenn really couldn't bear to hear any more of this so she went back to her desk to prepare for that morning's team pow wow.

"_Mate_," grinned Duncan playfully elbowing him and Nick smirked.

"But I didn't want to just fall into bed with her after a night like that." She was beautiful but that wasn't enough for him she didn't compare to the model of perfection he already had in his mind. "It's happened to me too many times before. I decided that this time things would be different," he paused and took a sip of his tea. "You know she talked about you a lot last night. Maybe it's not me she's really after?" Duncan raised his eyebrow over his tea mug in surprise as they walked out the door and the familiar scent of Jenn's perfume lingering in the air reached Nick's nose as he followed him. He cursed inwardly wondering how much of their conversation she might have heard.

Jenn was suffering. The sickness was getting worse and she was feeling awful. She sat down next to Allie for the team review. She was over tired from staying up most of the night working and her stomach had already processed her breakfast and was complaining again, to top it off because she'd heard Nick and Duncan in the break room she hadn't even been able to get herself a cup of tea. She was miserable and she felt like crying. When Nick walked in behind Duncan she couldn't look at him. Matt walked in after them, arriving last and seeing that his team was already assembled he started the meeting by addressing Jenn first.

"Jenn you said you had some new evidence you wanted to share," he grinned at her.

"Yeah I think I've found a clear motive for Estelle Armedes to want Janice dead and evidence that proves that Estelle was lying when she said they hadn't met. She probably made sure she had a cast iron alibi deliberately so we would have nothing on her!" Said Jenn frustrated.

"But I've been doing some further digging. Estelle Armedes _was _very wealthy. _Was_ being the operative word. Even though she was the one that left Paul McGinty, Stephen's father, for her next husband Dennis Armedes she got a lot of money in the divorce settlement. Then when she left Armedes a few years later she got another large settlement."

"Did anyone say gold-digger?" Interjected Allie.

"Why'd she marry Whittaker? Does he have heaps of money?" Asked Duncan.

"Actually no. He's a strange one he doesn't fit her usual pattern. Before she married him he was employed as the gardener and it looks as though he still is. He averages between $60 and 70,000 a year."

"Maybe she married that one for love?" Suggested Nick.

"Urghh," sneered Allie, "I can't imagine anyone loving him especially Estelle Armedes he just doesn't seem like her type. He was a total creep. He nearly molested Jenn." Nick's eyes narrowed.

"He didn't touch me…" interrupted Jenn rolling her eyes at Allie.

"No but he wanted to," laughed Allie.

"Still got it then Jenn," Joked Duncan and Jenn blushed,

"Being attractive to him is no compliment believe me," she said and waited a moment for them all to stop chuckling. "Moving on. Estelle should be a multi millionaire but I checked she's only got a couple of thousand left in her bank account and that large house she's living in is mortgaged to the hilt. I found an offshore account in her maiden name that was opened about five years ago. There wasn't much activity on the account until last year when she started making regular deposits. When I looked into it further I discovered that most of her money had been invested in a large portfolio but the value plummeted when the markets crashed during the financial crisis in 2009 and it hasn't recovered much so now she's broke. In order to continue her lavish lifestyle it looks like she's been living off Stephen's money. For the last two years there have been substantial cash withdrawals from Stephen's trust fund every month that match the dates she deposited money into the offshore and her personal account but the amounts don't match. She withdrew more from the trust fund than she would have needed for living expenses and to pay the mortgage. I couldn't find any record of where the extra money has gone though. If Stephen is able to claim his money back she's going to lose everything. As I said before with Janice in his life Stephen was finally getting his act together." She paused a moment to gather the correct papers in front of her. "I found a report of a disturbance at Janice's unit about a week before she was killed. Witnesses heard shouting and a black Mercedes sped off when the marked car arrived _but_ about 5 minutes later a black Mercedes ran a red light on Alexandria Parade and was caught by a red light camera. The registration comes back to Estelle Armedes."

"Ha!" Laughed Duncan, "caught by the speed camera!" Jenn smiled.

"Techs are looking into the footage for me to see if they can identify who might have been driving." From his position at the side of the room Matt observed Jenn with pride.

"I'm thinking it was Estelle. _I_ think that it was Estelle Armedes who was heard arguing with Janice, possibly trying to get her to leave Stephen alone and get out of his life. Maybe she even tried paying her off? But she refused. Estelle then decided to get rid of Janice. She could have used some of the unaccounted for money to pay Marsiliani to kill her. She probably used John Whittaker as a go between. Unfortunately all this is still circumstantial we still need to find a link between them, proof that one of them paid Marsiliani," said Jenn.

"Wouldn't it have been easier for her just to get rid of Stephen then she'd have all his money?" Queried Duncan.

"Yeah but don't forget the terms of his fathers will. She needs Stephen alive and preferably on drugs so he's out of the picture. If he dies all the money goes to charity." Duncan raised his eyebrows and nodded in acknowledgment.

"I also think Jason Hawkins is Stephen Armedes' son," Jenn continued. "And if he is and Estelle knows that he is she'd be after him too, which would explain why he's been running. I think his life is in danger we have to find Jason before Estelle and John do!"

"Well done Jenn!" Said Matt. The others all nodded, looking pretty impressed too.

As she sat down Nick noticed her lose her balance for a second and grab the table. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. He watched concerned as she suddenly got up and walked out. No one else took much notice because they were still discussing her theories about Estelle Armedes and John Whittaker. Nick had noted that Jenn ducked out of the room a lot lately. Sometimes just for a few minutes other times for longer. More often than was usually necessary to use the bathroom. It wasn't like her. He could tell something was up. She looked very tired all the time. He thought she must not be feeling well and trying to hide it. This time he decided to go after her but when he got downstairs there was no sign of her. On the off chance he decided to follow his instinct and he headed off down Spencer Street.

She walked to a quiet pathway with a bench under a tree by the Yarra where she and Nick had sometimes sat when they wanted to avoid being seen. She stood at the railing looking out over the river taking in deep breaths of air to try and assuage the nausea she was feeling. She took a couple of bites out of a squashed cereal bar she found at the bottom of her purse. It didn't taste that great but she needed something in her stomach.

It was beautiful here. This place resounded with happy memories. A couple walked past her holding hands. They looked really happy. She and Nick had been like that once for a short while until the pressures of their situation had got to her. She shook her head to try and rid her perverse mind of the images of Nick and Rachel kissing that were torturing her. Her mind nagged at her: Maybe she'd lost her chance? Maybe she'd pushed him away one too many times and he'd given up on her, finally moved on? She hoped that wasn't true. She'd told him it wasn't fair to make him wait but in the back of her mind she'd hoped he cared enough to wait a bit longer than a couple of months! Tears swelled in her eyes, _darn pregnancy hormones_ she thought. She'd burst into tears at the drop of a hat now and she hated feeling so vulnerable all the time, it was completely unlike her. In spite of the symptoms it was hard to believe there was a new life growing inside her. She placed a hand on her tummy it was somewhat comforting to have a small piece of Nick with her all the time. It had been a shock to find out and she was scared but she was slowly getting used to the idea of becoming a mother. She'd felt happier about it though thinking she and Nick would do this together. She had never thought she might be doing it on her own. _I can be a single mother_ she reasoned. Plenty of women did that she was sure she could. But that wasn't what she wanted. She wiped the tears away with the back of her hand. She wanted this with Nick this was his child too. When she pictured what the baby might be like she pictured Nick there holding it. His face the first time he looked at it. Maybe she'd realised too late that she loved Nick, really loved him, more than her career. It had just taken the shock of probably really losing him for her to admit it to herself. If she wanted things to change she knew she should tell him that. Another tear ran down her cheek. Things had become so much more complicated now. She still hadn't figured out how to tell him she was pregnant or what the implications were going to be for the two of them when she did.

A spark of hope ignited in him that she had come to 'their' place. His date with Rachel had only confirmed that he wasn't ready to give up on Jenn just yet. He watched her as she stared out across the river; she looked upset and had a far off look in her eyes. Nick wondered what she was thinking about. _We used to tell each other everything_ he thought as he felt the depth of sadness that that was now gone. He'd been able to talk to her about things he hadn't been able to tell other people. He wanted to go over to her to find out what was troubling her but he didn't have that right anymore. He felt guilty about watching her when she didn't know he was there it was an invasion of her privacy. He was reluctantly turning to leave when he heard her call out his name. Embarrassed that she'd caught him he reddened as she walked over to meet him.

"What are you doing here Nick?" She questioned, silently very grateful to see him.

"You've been rushing out a lot lately. I wanted to make sure you were OK. " He touched her arm gently. A man walked past them smoking a cigarette and she suddenly clamped her hand over her mouth looking around wildly before she started to vomit violently on the grass. Concerned he placed his hand gently on her back, "Are you all right?" She took a few moments to calm herself, wiped her mouth with a hanky and took a long swig out of her water bottle. There was a slight sheen of sweat over her face and tears running out of the corner of her eyes both from being sick and the humiliation of doing it in a public place.

"Yeah. Must have eaten something that didn't agree with me." She could tell from his face that he didn't quite believe her. He knew something was up it was written in his eyes that this had been going on far too long and that he'd noticed. "I'll be fine Nick," she assured him smiling weakly as she wavered slightly on her feet still feeling dizzy and faint after being sick. When he reached out to steady her with his hand his fingers lightly grazed her skin. The slight contact reminding her of everything she missed. She needed him to hold her again but she was too proud to ask. She couldn't stop a couple of tears from falling and didn't want to let him see her cry so she turned back towards the river to hide her face trying hard to force the tears back. She wasn't fooling him though and he sighed.

"Jenn about Rachel…"

"It's OK you don't need to explain," she looked down at her feet miserably, willing the tears to just go away. She didn't want to hear how he'd met someone new. She couldn't let him see how foolish and heartbroken she felt. But he stepped closer to her and she could feel the heat of his body on her back and his breath warm against her cheek. Still facing the river she closed her eyes and waited, aware of his every movement behind her. He didn't touch her but the way he stood just that little bit too close to her, invading her personal space, radiating the intensity of his affection gave her hope that all wasn't lost. The proximity of his body to hers made the hairs on her arms and neck stand on end and she wished things were different and she could just fall into his arms and make love with him for hours and hours. Did he have any idea that he had that affect on her? "Nick..." She said softly, her voice pleading though she hadn't meant it to sound that way.

It was so unlike Jenn to run out of a meeting to cry he just didn't know quite what to make of it. He just wanted to make her feel better but he didn't know if she'd let him comfort her. Needing to reach out to her he ran the back of his fingers lightly down her arm. She shivered at his touch. He placed his palm against her cheek and made her look at him: His soft blue eyes bored into her green ones trying to understand why she was upset and hoping to find some sign of encouragement from her. She'd never been able to hide her feelings from him when he did that and he saw the distress and pain she felt.

"Jenn…" he murmured pulling her into a hug. She felt so confused, she wasn't used to losing control like this. She clung to him and sobbed softly against his neck revelling in his comfort. He rubbed his cheek gently against hers and kissed her, "I love you, you know that," he assured her. She placed her hand over his, closed her eyes and turned to his palm to kiss it. They loved each other and he wished she'd stop fighting it. He took her hand and held it against his heart and said sincerely, "No one else can take your place Jenn." Her breath hitched in her chest and she leaned against him again and kissed his neck.

"I'm just not feeling very well. It's making me emotional." He wiped the tears off her cheek with his thumb and she returned his kiss when he pressed his lips to hers softly to reaffirm the truth of the words he'd just spoken. He sighed and hugged her. He'd just have to be patient, she'd stop fighting her feelings eventually.

"Maybe you should go home?" He said against her hair, kissing her again. "I'll tell Matt you're not well." She shook her head.

"I'll be fine. I just need a minute." She held onto him and Nick let out a long quiet breath contemplating whether he should annoy her by pushing it further and telling her he'd noticed that she hadn't been herself for a while now. He tried not to sound cross when he said, "You know the others may not have noticed but I have. You've been off colour for more than a few days now. I'm worried about you."

She kissed his chin._ Nick, I'm pregnant_. "You don't need to worry," she said quietly, "It'll pass in time."

Frustrated, Nick sighed, "Fine. For now. But if you're still ill in a few days I'm going to take you to the doctor myself," he said firmly. She chuckled quietly and looked up at him with laughter in her eyes that confused the hell out of him. She reluctantly let go of him and he squeezed her hand then turned to leave.

"Hey Nick?" He stopped.

"Yeah."

"We need to talk," He nodded at her, surprised. "Later," she reaffirmed.

"Sure. My place after work OK?" He said.

"Yeah," she smiled at him. "We better get back or we'll be missed," she tugged on his hand, "I'll go first and you follow a few minutes later OK?"

While he was waiting to follow Jenn back up to the office he decided to call Rachel. No point putting off the inevitable.

"You know I was just about to call you!" She said enthusiastically. "I had a really great time last night!"

"Me too," he said slowly, working his way towards calling a halt to further dates but she surprised him.

"But I just don't feel like we really clicked." Nick smiled to himself _how ironic_! "I'm really sorry Nick 'cause I like you I really do."

"I like you too and don't be sorry," he chuckled. "I was actually going to say something similar to you."

"Oh," she said quietly. Rachel wasn't turned down very often. "I had a feeling you weren't really into me."

Nick tried to soften it a little, "Well you did talk about Duncan a fair bit."

"Oh did I?"

"Yeah you did." He stayed on the line quietly as Rachel thought for a few moments.

"Hey, um, I hope you won't think I'm too forward," Nick laughed. "Yeah I know ha ha…but..um…do you think Duncan would mind if I gave him a call?" Nick grinned

"No I don't think he'd mind at all! I tell you what. I'll get him to call you!"

When he got back upstairs he handed Duncan a note. "You owe me one," he winked at Duncan's surprised face. Duncan looked down and read Nick's note and grinned back at him. He started to dial her number but his desk phone rang.

"Yep. OK. Thanks," he hung up the phone and called out, "Hey Jenn uniforms just called in your KLOF on a young boy matching Jason Hawkin's description. Possible hit and run victim." Jenn's face fell as she finished her phone call. She'd failed. She hadn't found him in time. She got up and started to walk out the door.

"I'll come with you," Nick said grabbing his jacket.


	15. Jason

Disclaimer: I do not own City Homicide or it's characters (unfortunately) nor do I own Homesick by Rai Thistlethwayte

This is pure fiction any likeness to real people or events, strange but purely coincidental.

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><p>Hmm this chapter ended up being a fair bit longer than I realised. Anyway thanks to all who've reviewed it's really encouraging to hear your comments!<p>

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><p>"<em>I would give all my time just to spend my nights with you."<em>

_ Homesick by Rai Thistlethwayte_

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><p>"Looks like he was hit by a car then dumped here. There was a report from the early hours of yelling and a loud bang around 11pm on Newry St in Carlton. It's a bit of a way from here but it could be related." Senior Constable Todd Croft said as he lifted the sheet up so Nick and Jenn could view the body. "When the neighbours went to have a look nothing was there. We've recovered some plastic and bits of paint and there was blood on the road. The samples are with forensics."<p>

"Good work. Thanks Todd," said Jenn giving the young officer a grateful smile.

Jenn crouched down and gently brushed his thick, blonde hair off the youth's forehead. She felt so angry. No matter how many times she encountered this kind of scene she never got used to it. The death of a child or young person always got to her. She doubted that this was any accident. Logically even though the situation broke her heart she knew there was nothing she could have done to prevent it. In this case it was even worse because she'd only spoken with him a few days ago. She looked at his young face, he reminded her of Stuart Franklin. What was it he'd wanted to give her? They hadn't found any bags or anything on his body. Even his phone was gone. Whatever it was he'd wanted to give to her she was sure it had got him killed and she vowed to herself to catch whoever had killed him.

As she bent over the body she groaned quietly as another sudden wave of nausea overcame her. She tried to stand up and blacked out for a second. Feeling dizzy she wobbled and nearly toppled over. She put out a hand on the ground to steady herself. She would have fallen but a gentle hand helped her up. A cold sweat ran from the base of her neck. She steadied herself for a second against the owner of the hand that was still holding her. Nick looked down at her with worry in his eyes but she smiled and nodded at him when he asked, "Are you OK?"

As she was trying to regain her balance she spotted a small girl peeking around the corner of the building. "Sarah?" she called out. "Sarah!" But by the time she'd reached the street she couldn't see any sign of her. Frustrated she called Miriam again to find out if Sarah had been in contact with her.

Nick drove them back to Flinders Street. They sat in silence but it was a comfortable silence, the understanding between them having been partially repaired. Jenn stared out of the car window thinking. She hoped Miriam would be able to get in touch with Sarah. She was frustrated that she hadn't been able to track her down. She wanted to speak with her to find out if she knew anything about what had happened to Jason but she didn't really have enough justification to put out a KLOF on her. Miriam had been as helpful as she could but Sarah had only been in for a meal and stayed one night before disappearing again. Miriam was going to let her know when they were able to find her. Jenn hoped she was OK and that she wasn't in any danger. She tried to reassure herself that Sarah knew where to find her if she was in trouble. Of course that hadn't saved Jason, which was what was worrying her.

Nick dropped her off outside the front of the main police building while he went to park the car. As she walked through the revolving front door she noticed a small person crouching in the doorway of the opposite building in the reflection in the glass from across the street. She stared for a moment, whoever it was looked familiar somehow. She turned back around and crossed the street to the doorway.

"Sarah?" she asked gently, crouching down in front of the small person. The young girl looked up at her. She was filthy and frightened and there were tear tracks in the dirt on her face. She clutched a backpack to her chest as though her life depended upon it. "Come inside with me and we'll get you something to eat and get cleaned up." Jenn held out her hand for Sarah to take but Sarah stayed rooted to the spot. "It's OK I won't let anyone hurt you. I'm glad I found you! You're safe now," she assured her taking her hand. "Come on. I reckon you could do with a good feed. We'll get you something to eat OK?"

Jenn settled Sarah in the waiting room with a sandwich and some tea and biscuits while she called Miriam to let her know Sarah was there. When she went back in Sarah had devoured the sandwich and was hoeing into the biscuits. She swallowed and handed Jenn the backpack that until then she had refused to let go of.

"Jason told me to give this to you if anything happened to him," she said teary eyed. "I haven't seen him for two days and then I saw all the police. It was him wasn't it?" Jenn nodded sadly and took the bag and opened it. Inside was a phone, a laptop and what looked like an mp3 music player that she assumed must belong to Jason. "I'm sorry I ran away but I was scared and I didn't realise it was you at first." Jenn placed her hand on Sarah's small one empathetically and gave it an encouraging squeeze.

"It's OK. I'm just glad I found you and you're safe. You've been very brave! Thank you for bringing me this," she indicated the backpack.

"Will it help you get the person who killed Jason?" Sarah asked her mouth partly full of sandwich.

"I hope so," said Jenn sincerely. She knew Miriam might be a little cross with her if she found out that she'd asked Sarah questions before she arrived but Sarah seemed willing to talk so she didn't see the harm is asking her a few simple ones. "Can you tell me exactly when you last saw Jason?"

"The morning before last. We were hanging out at an old house where we used to sleep. Jason said it wasn't safe enough there anymore though. He said they'd found out where he was hiding. He didn't know how because he thought he'd been so careful but he said someone must have followed him."

"Did he say who it was that was chasing him?" Asked Jenn.

"No. He never told me. He didn't want anything to happen to me but I was really scared anyway. That was the morning he gave me his bag. He made me promise to keep it with me all the time and never put it down. He also told me not to go out during the day in case anyone saw me."

"Do you know where he went after he left you?" Jenn asked even though she wasn't sure that it was relevant anymore.

"I'm not sure but maybe the cemetery. We used to go there a lot."

"OK. Thanks," she said smiling at the girl, "You've been really helpful. I'm just going to run these down to our crime scene techs. Miriam said she'd meet you here in about fifteen minutes. I'm going to get my friend Allie to come and sit with you. Are you OK with that?" Sarah nodded.

"Do you have any more sandwiches?" She asked as she shoved the last bit of crust into her mouth.

Jenn grinned. "Sure thing. I'll get someone to bring them to you. I'll be back soon OK?" Sarah nodded. _She seems a little calmer now at least_ Jenn thought as she went off to ask Allie if she'd keep an eye on Sarah while she went downstairs.

She took Jason's things down to Paul Winston who promised to look at them straight away and let her know what he found. She couldn't help hoping that he found something pretty damning against Estelle Armedes on either the phone or the laptop so she could bring her to justice for Janice's murder! She was pretty sure she'd had something to do with what happened to Jason as well. She knew he'd been running from something and Estelle Armedes was the only one so far to have a motive to want to hurt him. She stood in front of the murder board and stared at the photo of Janice taken before she was murdered. She looked young, blonde, beautiful and clearly happy: Someone with a lot to look forward to and live for before her life had been ended so brutally. She touched her face. All she'd tried to do was take care of her child but she'd been so young and abandoned by everyone who was supposed to care for her. It had led her down a bitter path of destruction and eventually death. It made Jenn so angry that she had such promise but it had all come to nothing just because circumstances had conspired against her. It made tears rise in her eyes. She unconsciously placed her hand over her stomach and wondered whether her baby was a boy or a girl. Nick came up behind her. He was standing too close again and she had to remind herself not to lean back against him. He placed a steaming mug of tea down on the table next to her. She smiled gratefully at him and pinned the picture of the younger Janice next to the battered adult version. The added Jason's picture next to his mother's sadly. Nick studied the board with her.

"Are you all right?" He asked quietly.

"Yeah," she nodded.

"We'll catch who did this Jenn. We will." He said with conviction.

"She was just some poor kid trying to make a life for herself and her child, Nick. Nothing went right for her. Jason's death was no accident I'm sure! It proves that he had a reason to be running. Do you know if Barillaro and Marsiliani were in lock up last night?"

"I'd have to check," Nick replied.

"Any one of them could have done this," Jenn looked perplexed, "We know Barillaro and Marsiliani definitely killed Janice." She thought for a while. "This is different though. I'm sure this time either Estelle or John was driving when Jason was hit. I just need to prove it," she said almost to herself. They stood in contemplative silence for a few minutes before Jenn broke it. "Hey, you know I said I thought Stephen Armedes might be Jason's father?"

"Yeah?"

"Well I looked up an old school photo of Stephen and look," she showed Nick a couple of photos, "pretty strong resemblance don't you think?" Nick raised an eyebrow and looked at Jenn with intense admiration. She had a talent or perhaps it was an intuition for figuring out what had happened often even before the evidence had been found to support her theories. Jarvis' nickname of 'Marplethorpe' was well deserved.

"We'd need a DNA test to prove it though," commented Nick.

"He could have met her years ago," Jenn said. "I'm sure Estelle Armedes is lying about never having met Janice." She continued thoughtfully, "I think she found out Jason was Stephen's son and that would have given her a pretty strong motive to kill Jason."

"Ah, Detective Mapplethrope." Senior Constable Phillippa Stern poked her head around the door of the murder room. "Stephen Armedes is down at the morgue. He's ready to do the ID on the body of the young boy we found,"

"OK thanks Phillippa," smiled Jenn. Phillippa nodded to Jenn as she left the room again. Nick looked at Jenn. She still looked a bit peaky to his mind. He hoped she'd tell him tonight what the problem was. "You right to do this? I can do it if you want?" He offered. Jenn smiled to herself, he was back to being over-protective again. She wanted to kiss him but she placed her hand on his wrist briefly giving away nothing as she maintained her stoic exterior, "Thanks. It's OK I can do it." She gave him a quick smile as she turned to leave. Pity her tea was going to be cold when she got back she sighed.

"Hey Dunny," whispered Allie conspiratorially as she scooted her chair towards his desk. He raised an eyebrow at her and grinned wondering what she was going to come out with this time. Allie's conspiracy theories could be pretty amusing sometimes. "I said it before and now I'm sure it's true. I reckon something's going on between Jenn and Nick."

"Nah," Duncan looked doubtful. "What on earth gives you that idea?" he said incredulously.

"I saw them holding hands in the murder room just now and Jenn practically had her head on Nick's shoulder," Allie said excitedly. Duncan looked at Allie like she was nuts.

"You're seeing things Allie. There's no way!" He knew both Jenn and Nick were far too professional to behave like that in the office. All the same he started to think that maybe there could be some truth in it. If Nick liked Jenn it would explain why he wasn't interested in Rachel. He didn't let on to Allie that he was considering her suggestion though.

"Yep," said Allie with conviction. "_And _I reckon Jenn's pregnant!" she said triumphantly.

"What!" _That's going too far_ he thought. "Keep your voice down! Now you really are being ridiculous," he said disparagingly. He had no time for dangerous gossip.

"What?" Allie didn't take the hint. "You didn't notice how Jenn pushed away the coffee you gave her yesterday morning? She looked like she was going to puke and I've heard her throwing up in the toilets a lot lately. She's eating heaps too and I'm pretty sure she's put on weight." Duncan really didn't want to hear anymore of this kind of talk, he needed to nip this in the bud before anyone overheard her.

"I said drop it!" He said in a low harsh whisper. "Even if it's true it's none of our business. Jenn's probably just been sick or something. Don't start making rumours you could really cause trouble for them OK?" Disappointed that Duncan wouldn't take the bait and gossip with her Allie wanted to have the last word.

"Just saying," she said as she scooted back towards her own desk.

"Pull your head in Allie!" Said Duncan firmly. Even if his friends _were_ in a relationship, which he didn't think they were, he didn't want her making trouble for them. "One of them could lose their job if someone overheard you talking like that. Mind your own business! How would you like it if people started spreading rumours about you and Rhys?" She was only having a bit of fun but the point wasn't lost on her with the mention of Rhys and she finally shut up, feeling ashamed. The pain of Rhys' rejection was still fresh in her heart. She liked Jenn and she wouldn't want anything like that to happen to her or for her to lose her job.

When Jenn arrived at the morgue Stephen Armedes was sitting on one of the plastic chairs in the corridor waiting for her. She led him into the viewing room where the morgue technicians had prepared Jason's body to look as peaceful and unharmed as possible. He looked like he was asleep but Jenn knew that the sheet that covered most of his body concealed cuts, bruises and broken bones. Mercifully his face wasn't too badly damaged just a bit scraped and bruised. She led Stephen closer to the body.

"We need you to say his full name please," she said gently.

"Yes that's him." A tear made it's way down Stephen's pale face. "That's Jason Hawkins." He broke down sobbing, "He was my son." Jenn looked at him sadly,

"Why didn't you tell us that earlier?"

"I didn't think it was important," he agonised. "It wasn't going to help you find him or keep him safe." Stephen started to cry. "I thought I was protecting him by not saying anything. They didn't have to kill him too. He never hurt anyone. I only just found out about him and now he's gone." He placed his hand on the glass of the morgue window. "He was all I had left."

Jenn took him back to the waiting room, made him tea and closed the door. She went and got Allie so they could take Stephen's statement. They both sat patiently and listened while Stephen started to pour his heart out.

"Janice and I knew each other as kids." Gratification flashed across Jenn's face briefly. He dug out a school photo of a pretty blonde girl with long hair tied back with a clip and gave it to Jenn. "She was so pretty, so kind and really smart. She didn't come from a wealthy home and she made me see that I should make the most of mine instead of wasting it. My mum's a rich spoiled brat. She married my Dad for his money then left him for her gynaecologist when my brother was a baby. We never saw Dad again because he died soon afterwards. We didn't even get to spend much time with Dr Den either because Mum split up with him not long after she married him. I don't think she really wanted me or my brother around we had so many different nannies I don't remember them all. "

"My brother died when I was fifteen and it was so hard once he was gone, I didn't have anyone to talk to. He was quite a few years younger than me but he was my best friend, we looked out for each other. I felt sad and alone without him with me. My mother brought different guys home all the time and she was often out at parties so I rarely saw her. I don't think she cared that she hardly ever saw me. "

"I met Janice a few years later when she was working after school in a café I used to hang out in. At first I liked her just because she was pretty but when I started spending time with her I started to enjoy my life again. I even started to pay more attention to my education until she disappeared. That's when everything really went downhill." He took a grateful sip of the tea Jenn had made, "Thanks," he said. Jenn nodded.

"When she found out about Janice my mother told me I couldn't see her anymore. She didn't think she was good enough for me because she didn't go to an expensive private school and she had no money. Janice disappeared just before our year twelve exams. I thought it was odd she hadn't said anything to me about leaving but her family had moved away and I thought she went with them. We only found each other again six months ago and that's when I learned about Jason and that her parents kicked her out when they found out she was pregnant. She went to my house to find me the night they threw her out but I wasn't home. My mother," he said with contempt, "told her to leave and never come back here or she'd set the dogs on her. I never knew what happened to her. When I met up with her again she told me she'd lived in a youth hostel for a while but turned to prostitution when she didn't have enough money so she could pay rent and take care of the baby. Pimps got her hooked on cocaine and other stuff." He paused briefly and took another sip of tea. "_I_ got into drugs because I was a self absorbed, bored rich kid. I wasted what I had but Janice, she didn't deserve that kind of life. She could have been something if she hadn't got involved with me. I should have tried harder to find her but at the time I thought my own problems were everything."

"You can't blame yourself," said Jenn. "You were just a kid. You didn't know." Stephen didn't look placated. He smiled sadly,

"It's nice of you to say." He gave a slight chuckle, "I should be a multi millionaire you know. I would be if I hadn't been such a self-absorbed loser and then I could have given her what she deserved. The family money is mine. Dad left it all to me but because of the drugs my mother had me declared unfit. She took power of attorney and won't let me touch it. But I was going to get it back! I was going to set up a trust for Jason. That's why I'm staying with my mother. That and I had nowhere else to go. For now anyway."

"Stephen when we were in the morgue you said 'they' killed him. Who is 'they,'" asked Jenn wanting Stephen to tell her it was Whittaker and Armedes.

"My mother and her pet dog Whittaker. I'm sure they did it. They killed Janice and Jason," said Stephen. "Jason called me a few days ago. He said he had evidence against my mother and Whittaker that he was trying to get to the police but they were watching him and he couldn't get here. He told me he'd hidden it in a safe place. I told him I'd try and help him but I didn't know what to do. I was going to call you but before I could they told me he'd been killed. One of them must have overheard our conversation. I'm sure my mother was behind it but Whittaker was probably the one who killed him!"

"My mother had a safe in her room. She didn't know that I knew the combination. I used to check regularly because I knew she kept a lot of cash in there. I used to take it to buy stuff to get high," he said ashamedly. "When I got out of rehab and I found out Janice was dead I was suspicious so I checked it again. There was over $10 000 less in there. I can't prove it but I'm sure she gave it to Whittaker to kill Janice. I confronted her and tried to get her to admit it but she's so used to lying she wouldn't know the truth if it hit her. I'm sure that John killed Jason though, no doubt on her suggestion. She uses sex like a bargaining tool they're always at it, it's disgusting. That's why she married him so that she could use him to do things she didn't want to do. I don't think she cares much about him. She certainly doesn't love him but _he'd_ do anything for her. I saw him take my mother's car out the other night when Jason was killed. It was about nine thirty and he didn't get back until midnight." Jenn looked at Allie.

"We're sending people over to your mother's house. If there's any evidence there we'll find it," declared Allie.

"Is there anything else you need to tell us?" Asked Jenn. Stephen shook his head.

"Sorry if I went on a bit. Thanks for listening. I hope you can get them for what they did to Janice and Jason!" Stephen sipped at his tea looking sad and dejected. Jenn couldn't help feeling sorry for him.

Indicating to her notes Allie said, "We'll type this up and get you to sign that you're happy with it." Stephen nodded. Jenn ushered him out. When she got back to her desk Allie had already typed up half the statement.

"Thanks Allie you typed that up quickly!" she said. "Did Commander Waverly give you any update yet on the search warrant for the Armedes house?"

"Latest update is that it'll be ready for first thing tomorrow morning. It was too late in the day to get it for today. We've had the car impounded though. It's with forensics."

Jenn nodded. "Thanks Allie." Miriam still hadn't been back in touch with her. She wanted to chase her up again. "Do you mind following through with Stephen Armedes? I want to chase up Miriam Toffler about Sarah"

"Nah that's fine. You could get me a coffee though," she grinned.

"Deal," she smiled and walked over to grab Allie's mug off her desk.

"Don't worry your secret is safe with me," whispered Allie as Jenn picked up the mug.

"Sorry?" Queried Jenn wondering what on earth Allie was going on about.

"You and Nick. I won't tell anyone,"

"What about me and Nick?" Queried Jenn, curious as to why Allie would be bringing this up again and wondering if she was just digging.

"I saw you and Nick in the murder room and I've heard you in the toilets. I know why you're throwing up all the time." Jenn momentarily lost her composure and couldn't help it that she started to turn bright red.

"Saw what? We were just talking Allie!" Jenn said feeling slightly annoyed. "And I've just had a bug that's all," she said firmly.

"It's OK I won't say anything," Allie assured her. Jenn sighed and headed off to the break room. _Great that's all I need!_ She felt irritated but she knew there was no point trying to convince Allie otherwise when she got an idea in her head. Unfortunately this time she was right. Jenn hoped Allie really would keep her mouth shut.

It took Jenn a lot longer than she thought it would to finish chasing up all her leads and complete her paperwork. Nick had gone home hours ago but she said she'd meet him there when she was finished. She been fighting the exhaustion all day and now she could barely move. She'd never felt this tired before in her life. She felt like she'd just run a marathon. She looked at her watch. It was late, past 11:30. She parked her car across the street from Nick's house. She was beyond exhausted now. She couldn't drive any further even if she wanted to. She hadn't realised she was actually too tired to drive until she was already on the way to Nick's. She knew it was dangerous to keep going and she should have stopped but she was already halfway to his place and she was too embarrassed to call on him so late. Anyway she was OK she was here now. He'd drive her home if she asked him to but she didn't want to go home to a cold empty bed she wanted to be with Nick. She lent her head on her arms against the steering wheel. It was too late now to have the conversation she really needed to have with him she was too tired. She was still hurting about seeing him with Rachel as well as what she'd overheard him say to Duncan but at the same time she knew he would never have been with someone else if she hadn't pushed him away. She knew it wasn't fair of her to be angry or hurt about it. Nick loved her he'd even said it today for the first time. He was being very patient with her she knew. She'd been given another opportunity to fix things between them and she wasn't going to push him away again. She sat in the car for a good few minutes arguing with herself. She was fairly sure he'd still be awake_. _She decided to send him a text, Are_ you still awake?_ Then she noticed his bedroom light was on so she knocked on his door just as he called her phone.

He smiled at her when he opened the door dressed in a t-shirt and boxers and motioned for her to come in.

"Great minds..." he smiled and chuckled softly. "I was starting to worry about you."

She looked down at her hands slightly embarrassed, "I'm sorry. Did I get you out of bed?"

"I wasn't asleep," he assured her gently, "but even if I was I wouldn't have minded you waking me up," he smiled as he shut the door behind her. She smiled shyly back at him. "What did you want to tell me?" He asked and started to move in the direction of the kitchen. "Tea?"

"No thanks." She felt awkward and started to wonder if she'd been silly to turn up here at this hour. She didn't want to come out and ask him if she could stay. "I know I said we'd talk but it's got so late." Nick stopped and looked at her noting how pale and fatigued she looked. She didn't look very well. He put his hand on her arm gently not wanting her to leave again, "You were so upset this morning. I just wanted to make sure you were all right." They stood there neither saying a word until Nick asked hopefully, "You want to stay?"

She looked in his eyes to ascertain whether he really wanted her to stay or if he'd only asked her because he felt sorry for her.

"Can I?" She asked needing him to reaffirm the affection he'd shown her earlier in the day. He moved even closer to her so that their bodies were nearly touching and reached out to caress her cheek, "You know you don't need to ask," he said softly. They stood in his hallway staring at each other silently for a few moments before entwining their arms around each other. He breathed in the scent of her hair and kissed her, "I'm glad you're here."

She sank into his embrace feeling emotionally overwhelmed, snuggling against him, her breath catching in her chest, "Me too."

He pulled back in their hold and held her face in his hand, "You look tired," he said stroking her cheek lovingly.

"It's been a long day. I was up most of the night last night doing that research on Estelle Armedes," she admitted.

He kissed her lips softly. "Well lets go to bed then," he suggested and she nodded as he led her towards the bedroom.

She undressed and put on a t-shirt Nick had given her then crawled into bed next to him. He moved over and curled up behind her and she turned over and cuddled up facing him with her head against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her temple. She felt the warmth of his chest beneath her cheek and his heart beating in her ear and she wound her arms around his neck pulling him closer for a kiss. It felt like days since they'd met by the river even though it had only been that morning. She wanted to hear him tell her again that he loved her. She knew she should say it out loud to him; he probably needed to hear it even more than she did. She nuzzled his shoulder, kissing his neck and his cheek. She'd missed this closeness and his tenderness during their time apart so much it made the tears well up again. She closed her eyes grateful to be back in his arms again and cuddled into him absorbing the warmth and depth of affection that resonated between them. She hadn't thought it was possible to love someone as much as she loved Nick. It surprised her that it had taken the events of the last few weeks to make her realise that. She wiped at the tears that were running down her nose. Realising she was upset he asked,

"What's wrong?"

She shook her head. The events of the day were catching up with her: lack of sleep the previous night, finding Jason dead. Just being here with him was what she needed. She couldn't tell him all that was on her mind. She knew she should ask him about Rachel but at the same time she didn't want to talk about it. Maybe she should just wipe the slate clean in her own mind and forget about it? She'd been given a second chance today and she wasn't going to waste it.

"I'm just really tired," she said and hid her face against his chest annoyed with herself for crying.

He cuddled her close against his body wondering why she was so emotional today. What had prompted her apparent change of heart about their relationship? He didn't really want to question why she was back beside him again because he was just so grateful that she was even if it was only for one night. He had his suspicions that she might have heard part of his conversation with Duncan but he didn't think that was the only thing that was upsetting her. He worried about her. Her behaviour had been so out of character lately but he took it as a positive sign that she'd come to him for comfort and he was glad of that. He wiped the tears off her cheek and lent his head towards hers. She met him half way affirming the renewed understanding and the bond between them. His hand caressed her face gently as he kissed her, their silent communication expressing the words they didn't speak. He'd meant everything he'd said to her and so much more he hadn't. He squeezed her close against him, kissed her shoulder and laid his head against hers. He wondered what it was she'd wanted to talk about. He needed to know if she was back with him for good but he knew now wasn't the right time given how tired she was. He looked down at her face and realised she'd fallen asleep. He stroked her cheek, brushing the hair out of her eyes and kissed her softly, "I love you," he murmured before he turned off the light and closed his own eyes.


	16. Stephen

A small amount of writers block, illness and lack of time to write has made this and the next chapter slower to post but finally I think it's done. Sorry, I was going to have Jenn talk to Nick in this chapter but it ended up being too long so you're gonna have to wait.. :D ...sorry. So a short one then a long one - it won't be long before I post the next one though so you won't have to wait too long.

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><p>Disclaimer: I do not own City Homicide or it's characters (unfortunately) nor do I own Homesick by Rai Thistlethwayte<p>

This is pure fiction any likeness to real people or events, strange but purely coincidental.

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><p>Nick had woken early and couldn't go back to sleep. He watched Jenn as she slept hoping that her sharing his bed would become a regular thing again. She was still facing him, her hand resting on his chest and her head against his shoulder sleeping peacefully. He stroked her cheek and kissed her temple gently not wanting to wake her but his phone beeped intruding on the peaceful moment. She stirred, mumbling something he couldn't understand. Nick put his phone down as Jenn's beeped with a message as well.<p>

"Was that my phone?" She mumbled sleepily. He kissed her affectionately and they lingered in the embrace for a moment before reluctantly attending to work.

"Yeah. Probably the same message as mine." Jenn checked her phone and nodded.

"I think you left a change of clothes in the wardrobe," he said. "I didn't get around to giving them back to you yet." Jenn put her hand against his cheek, smiled at him and kissed him softly.

"Well you don't have to now," she laced her fingers through his. "I'm sorry I fell asleep on you last night." He caressed her face gently with the back of his fingers,

"I think you needed to sleep." He brought her hand to his lips and sighed, "Jenn I'm worried about you; you haven't been yourself lately. I know you haven't been feeling well. What was it you wanted to tell me yesterday?" She kissed him gently to try and allay his concern, hating to put it off again but she didn't want to start the conversation now, there wasn't time.

"There's no time now." He looked slightly exasperated so she placed her hand on his and kissed him again. "It's OK I feel better this morning. I slept really well." She kissed him. "Com' on we need to get ready. We'll make sure we talk tonight." He nodded, sighing because he knew she was right. At least he could be fairly sure they were back on track now. The talk could wait.

"Wanna save water?" She held out her hand to him with a cheeky grin on her face. He took her hand, rolling his eyes and grinned back at her.

"Hardly going to save time though," he chuckled.

As they drove through the ornate gates and up the curved driveway of the Armedes house this time the scene couldn't have been more different than when Jenn and Allie had done the same thing a few weeks earlier. Marked police cars and the coroners' wagon were parked out the front, yellow crime scene tape cordoned off the garage and there were uniforms and white suited crime scene techs everywhere. Jenn got out of the car with Nick following behind her and walked towards the garage where she could see Ronnie. Stephen Armedes' body was hanging by a homemade noose from the garage door mechanism. Ronnie nodded at them in recognition as she approached.

"So it's definitely suicide?" Jenn asked.

"Yeah looks like it. I haven't found any evidence so far that suggests anyone else did this to him." Jenn looked up at Stephen regretfully. Ronnie handed Jenn Stephen's suicide note.

_She's taken everything from me. It's too much. I have nothing left to live for now._

_ Mother, you may have stopped Jason from going to the police but now I've won. You still won't get any of it._

_Stephen_

"He gave us his statement only yesterday," she said sadly. She wanted to cry that he felt that killing himself was the only solution to his pain and problems. He could still have got all his money back and done something with his life. Somehow his suicide almost seemed like a win for Estelle to Jenn and it made her all the more determined to put Estelle behind bars. She was roused from her personal reverie, suddenly becoming aware that the sick feeling she felt wasn't just caused by how she felt about Stephen's fate. She swallowed hard to try and push it back down her throat but the effect of the heat from the car journey and the smell of petrol and garden chemicals from inside the garage had started to build up. She tried to concentrate on what Ronnie was saying as she felt another sudden wave of nausea overtake her. _Not now please_ she pleaded with her body to comply. She took a long swig out of her water bottle but it only seemed to make things worse.

"Excuse me a moment," she said. Ronnie raised an eyebrow, regarding her with a slightly knowing look as Jenn walked briskly out of the garage and across the garden. She managed to make it behind a large clump of oleanders before she threw up. She almost felt the situation was laughable running away from a crime scene to be sick if it wasn't so embarrassing. She wiped her hand across her mouth and felt a gentle hand on her back. Nick had followed her.

"You're still feeling sick?" he asked holding his hand up to her forehead briefly. She concentrated on calming her breathing, she hated being sick. Emotionally she wanted to collapse into his arms but she wouldn't allow herself to give in. Appreciative of his concern but feeling agitated that someone might notice them both there she said,

"You should go back to the crime scene. Someone might see us. I told you, you don't need to worry. I'm OK." He was starting to have his suspicions now about why she was ill. He looked at her apprehensively,

"Jenn…"

She took his hand in hers and stroked his thumb affectionately,

"Don't worry. I'm OK." He looked at her hesitantly and sighed knowing better than to argue with her.

"All right," he squeezed her hand but the concern was still written all over his face as he turned to walk back across the lawn. She felt bad that he was so worried but it just hadn't been the right time to tell him yet. Now when they were on a crime scene certainly wasn't it! She didn't want to tell him in a rush. She waited a couple of minutes then followed him back across the lawn.

When she got back Ronnie had finished with Stephen's body and it was being loaded into the coroners van to be taken back to the morgue.

"Feeling better?" she asked with glint in her eye. Jenn reddened and nodded at her hoping her condition wasn't so obvious to everyone else as it seemed to be to Ronnie and Allie. She looked around trying to get her head back into the game. She wasn't sure where Nick had got to she couldn't see him anywhere close by. Crime Scene were still all over the house and garage so she decided to go inside the house to speak to Mrs Armedes or John Whittaker. As she walked up the front steps her phone rang.

"Hey Matt," she answered.

"Just wanted to let you know that some of the forensics have come back on the car. There were traces of blood on the steering wheel, in the boot and on the car bumper. It looks like someone tried to clean the car but fortunately for us they did a lousy job of it." _Bet that was Whittaker_ thought Jenn. "They're still running the tests on the blood so we don't know yet if it belongs to Jason. They're also testing paint from the bumper to see if it matches the flakes we found on Newry Street. It isn't much yet but I think we have enough to bring Estelle Armedes and John Whittaker in for questioning."

"Yeah. We should also get traffic to check the road cameras in the area and see if we get lucky for the night Jason was killed," suggested Jenn.

"Yep good idea. I'll get onto that," said Matt. Jenn could tell he had something else on his mind that he wanted to say so she stayed quiet on the line. She heard him sigh quietly, "Jenn I noticed you were working late again last night."

"I had lots of paperwork to do," she explained, "I'm not claiming overtime for it."

"Yeah we all know about paperwork," he tried to joke, "but that's not really the point." Matt fumbled trying hard to come to the point he needed to make as a Sergeant without sounding too harsh on his friend. "You do excellent work Jenn you're a great detective but much as I hate to say it I think you're spending _too much_ time in the office. You need your rest and I don't think I'm the only one who's noticed that you're really tired all the time lately. I know you've felt very involved in this case but I don't want you over working yourself OK? I don't want to see your key card leaving any later than 7pm from now on all right?"

"Yes Serg." She replied. There wasn't much more she could say, she couldn't really argue the point. She did wonder though who else it was who had noticed she was tired all the time. She couldn't be sure but she didn't think Allie would have said anything. She was sure Dunny probably wouldn't have noticed and even if he had he wouldn't have said anything. She hoped it wasn't Nick being over protective and letting it slip. Anyway for now she couldn't focus on that they needed to bring John and Estelle back to the station. She decided to go and find Nick.


	17. Evidence or lack thereof

OK here's the long chapter I promised. Ironically even though I cut it I ended up adding to it again so now it's even longer than it was before :S so I had to cut it again. Don't worry I'll post the next bit fairly soon so you don't have to wait :D

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><p>Disclaimer: I do not own City Homicide or it's characters (unfortunately) nor do I own Homesick by Rai Thistlethwayte<p>

This is pure fiction any likeness to real people or events, strange but purely coincidental.

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><p>The atmosphere in the car on the drive back to Flinders Street was strained. Jenn was thinking about her phone call with Matt. Nick was quiet. He tapped his fingers agitatedly against the steering wheel and Jenn could tell he had something on his mind that he wanted to say. She knew he was starting to get annoyed that she wouldn't tell him why she was ill which was fair enough but she wanted to tell him when they could talk about it and were least likely to be interrupted.<p>

Now that he'd been spending more time with Jenn he'd had an opportunity to watch her more closely and he was becoming convinced that his hunch about why she wasn't well was right. He didn't want to ask her outright though he was waiting for her to tell him in her own time. He wondered if she'd been putting off telling him because she thought he'd slept with Rachel. She may not want to talk about it but he wanted to set the record straight.

She sat quietly waiting for him to come out and tell her whatever it was he wanted to say. What he said surprised her a little.

"Look I don't know what you might have heard the other day but I just need to tell you that nothing happened with Rachel. I didn't sleep with her." She didn't know what he expected her to say to that so she stayed mute however it was clear Nick was waiting expectantly for her to say something. She looked over at him, placed her hand on his and gave him a slight, closed mouth smile.

"It doesn't matter. Let's just forget about it OK?" When they stopped at a red light he studied her face to ascertain her mood.

"So long as you're OK," he finally replied, bringing her hand to his lips.

"Mmm," she nodded. She really didn't want to talk about Rachel but all the same she was glad to know things hadn't got much further than what she'd seen at his front door. She decided to tell him about her phone call with Matt.

"Did you say anything to Matt about me?"

"No. Why would I do that? What has he said?"

"Nothing about you." She sighed and leaned back into the headrest. "He told me off for staying late. He said he and someone else had noticed how tired I've been. He told me I can't stay past seven." Nick raised an eyebrow.

"Well you _have_ been tired a lot lately. I don't think it takes a genius to notice." He paused for a moment mentally preparing himself for her reaction to what he was about to say next. "It's not a bad thing that he said you can't stay late. I think you've been working too hard."

"Nick!" Jenn looked at him in annoyance and tried to pull her hand away from his. "You work long hours too!"

_Yeah but I'm not pregnant_ he almost said. "Yeah Jenn, we all do sometimes but I think you have to recognise when you need to take a break. He's just looking out for you. So am I." Jenn huffed. She knew he was right she just didn't like being told what to do particularly by a man or in this case men. What was he going to be like once he knew she was pregnant? He took her hand again and kissed it. "I don't want to fight with you," he said earnestly. She gave him a tight-mouthed smile and sighed, squeezing his hand.

"It's OK. I'm not really cross. I _am_ tired I just don't like being told what to do." Nick chuckled and kissed her fingers.

"Yeah I know."

She punched his chin playfully and smiled at him properly and they both laughed.

Nick dropped her off at the morgue while he went back to the office to interview Whittaker and Armedes. Ronnie smiled at Jenn when she walked in and handed her a facemask.

"You shouldn't be breathing in the chemicals in here. You don't want to take any chances," said Ronnie with a smile. She looked at the facemask and raised an eyebrow; it _that_ obvious that she was up the duff? Ronnie observed the look on Jenn's face and said, "Don't worry your secret's safe with me. I doubt anyone else will notice. I'm just used to noticing these things," she said with a gentle smile

"Thanks," Jenn said as a look of understanding passed between the two women. Unlike Ronnie who was a doctor or Allie who she saw every day she thought it was doubtful at least that Bernice would figure it out since she didn't work closely enough with her for her to notice any signs and she didn't need to worry about the guys they wouldn't have a clue. Well except maybe Nick. She really _had_ to tell him tonight!

"Not too much to note here so far," Ronnie said and started going over her preliminary findings with her So far the autopsy on Stephen was fairly straight forward.

"He died from asphyxiation and a broken neck caused by hanging himself with a nylon rope from the electronic garage door mechanism. There's no indication to suggest anyone else had a hand in helping him to his death. We sent the remote from the door to forensics just to make sure." She flipped through the pages of her report. "By the rate of healing of the various track marks on his body I don't think he's used for at least three months." She noted. "So far all drug tests have come back clean. I don't really expect the other tests to come back with anything either but you never know." _He only had a couple of months and he could have claimed his money back_ thought Jenn sadly. Of course with his death all the money went to charity. It was possible Estelle could contest the will but she hoped they could find enough evidence to put her away before that happened. Jenn was certain she was behind both Janice and Jason's murder and was the reason Stephen committed suicide.

"Can you also do a DNA test for me? We need to prove Stephen was Jason's biological father." Ronnie raised an eyebrow and Jenn explained. "Stephen told me he was Jason's father. We need to prove it since he wasn't listed on the birth certificate."

"Sure OK."

"Thanks Ronnie. You'll let me know if you do find anything unusual?"

"As always," Ronnie smiled at her. Jenn looked at her watch she hadn't been at the morgue very long. She called Nick to find out if he and Duncan were waiting for her to help with the interviews but he said Jarvis had stepped in and Allie and Duncan were going to interview Estelle so she was off the hook this time.

It was a gorgeous day so Jenn took the opportunity to get some fresh air and walked back to Flinders Street. As she walked her thoughts wandered to Nick and how much had changed over the last couple of days. She was happier than she'd ever been in a situation that only a few weeks ago would have made her think she was going to lose herself. Now all she could think of was what she'd gained: The things she'd thought were preventing her from being with Nick didn't matter to her anymore. Ever since she'd started seeing him the idea of marriage with Nick often entered her head when she least expected it. She wondered if he'd really meant all the things he'd said when he'd been trying to convince her not to end their relationship. Even though she knew it was unlikely he'd ask her again so soon, in her heart she wanted him to. She knew she should just be grateful that she'd got a second chance. By the time she got back to her desk it was after lunch. She smiled inwardly when she noticed a sandwich and a piece of carrot cake waiting for her. Someone, she guessed it had to have been Nick, had put it there and it made it hard to maintain the necessary professional distance when he was thoughtful like that. She didn't need him to but he liked to take care of her, it was just how he was. It annoyed her sometimes but it was also really sweet and she let him take charge on occasion because she knew it made him happy if he felt he was looking after her. And it was nice to give in and allow him, he was good at taking care of her when she really needed it and he was learning to recognise when to back off when she needed to remain strong. He was probably going to smother her once he knew she was pregnant she smirked.

"Looks like you were right Jenn," Nick grinned. "Uniforms just got back to me. They've been fielding evidence from the second door knock we did after you found the disturbance report. They just spoke with a woman who said she remembered seeing a black Mercedes with dark tinted windows stopped outside Janice Hawkin's unit the week before last. The neighbour was extremely vigilant and even wrote down the number plate," he smirked. "_And_, this is going to make you smile, she ID'd Estelle Armedes from a photo as the woman she saw arguing with Janice last month. A marked car patrolling the area also saw what they think might be the same car staking out Janice's unit again the night before last."

"Did they see who was driving it?" Asked Jenn.

"No," he replied. "But we're still checking the traffic cameras in the surrounding areas and on the Eastern freeway to see if can identify the car."

"Well that's something," Jenn sighed. "We can prove now that she argued with Janice." She sat down at her desk and started to eat the sandwich. She needed more solid evidence. What they'd found so far still didn't prove that she'd had Janice killed.

"I thought you'd be more pleased," he said. Jenn gave him a loaded smile grateful for more than just the sandwich.

"Oh I am it's just we need something more solid to get her on." He nodded in understanding.

"Not a bad start though."

"How'd you go with Whittaker?"

"He's denied everything. We didn't have enough to hold him so we had to let him go until forensics come back. Tea?" He asked holding up a mug.

"Sure. Thanks." She answered him only half paying attention, still thinking about Estelle, Janice and Jason.

Paul Wilson wandered over to her desk grinning. He could have called Jenn to tell her what he'd found but he wanted to show her _and_ he liked having an excuse to come and see her. He knew she wasn't interested in him but he even so he harboured a small crush on her.

"Hey Jenn. You're going to love what I found," he said placing his laptop on her desk. "I think this is going to make your day! Listen to this." Paul pressed play on a media app on his computer and a grainy recording of two women arguing started to play.

…_. I can't think what you could possibly have to say to me._

_All right then if that's the way you want it I'll get to the point. I want you to leave my son alone. Get the hell out of his life!_

_Why on earth would I do that? _

_Come on he's not worth it! You really think Stephen cares about you? I'd make it worth your while if you left._

_What do you mean by that?_

_One hundred thousand dollars and I'll help you find a nice place to live. Anywhere you want. I'll pay for it. _

_You're trying to buy me off? You really think this is going to endear you to Stephen? You lied to him and to me and abandoned him for all these years. But we're actually happy now. He's happy and he's finally going to get help. There's nothing you can offer him or me that's going to change that!_

_All right two hundred and fifty thousand. The boy's an addict. He's been that way almost all his life what makes you think he can change now? It's a lot of money. Think about it. I don't need an answer right this instant._

_You're just pathetic._

_Oh I see. You've got your eye on his inheritance have you? Well he's never going to lay his hands on a cent of it I'll make sure of that!_

_You know money isn't everything. Oh I know __**you**__ think it is. It's __**all **__you think is important but we don't need your money!_

_Look I've tried to be nice about this but I would think very carefully about taking the money if I were you. _

_Are you threatening me? _

_Take it how you like I don't care._

_Oh I know you don't! Just leave! ..Please_

_You'll regret it if you don't leave him I can promise you that! _

_I said get out! _

"That was on the phone." Paul explained. "There was another copy on the laptop. The date stamp on the file is the same day as the disturbance report you found from Janice Hawkins' place. There were also these jpegs." Jenn looked at the pictures. It wasn't all that easy to make out who the people were but it looked like a payoff. She examined them more closely. It looked like John Whittaker handing something to another man who looked like Marsiliani. Jenn grinned. If they confronted Marsiliani with this he might tell the truth. It was looking like they could get Whittaker at least.

"Any chance you could enhance these so we can see their faces more clearly?"

"The original pictures were taken with a phone camera from a distance in low light so needless to say they're not good quality. I had a work on it quite a bit just to get it to this but I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks Paul." Paul grinned and sauntered off back to his work area. He nodded at Duncan as he came back into the office. Jenn was deep in thought going over the argument between Janice and Estelle. _Strange she offered so little to try and entice Janice to leave Stephen_ thought Jenn. She looked up and noticed Duncan.

"Hey Dunny how'd you and Allie go with Estelle earlier? Did you manage to get anything out of her?" Queried Jenn

"Nah she lawyered up. Wouldn't say a word." He stated. "We need more evidence if we're going to have another go at her."

"Well Paul just showed me some pictures and a sound file that came off Jason's phone! Looks like he might have been spying on John Whittaker and Jo Marsiliani. The pictures look like John Whittaker giving something to Jo Marsiliani: probably the payoff Marsiliani admitted to." Duncan nodded. "Jason also recorded the argument between his mother and Estelle Armedes. Estelle's words could be interpreted as a threat. Unfortunately it still doesn't prove she paid to have Janice killed, it's not even enough to arrest her," said Jenn frustrated, "but if we confront Marsiliani with the new evidence he might admit it's John Whittaker who's giving him the money."

"We can go and talk with Marsiliani now if you like he's still downstairs and we can always get Whittaker back in here."

"Lets confront Marsiliani first and see what he says. We'll see if we can get him to admit it's Whittaker giving him the money then we'll go back to Whittaker. I'd rather wait until forensics come back, hopefully with a DNA match to Jason, before we talk to him again then we can hit him with the whole lot at once. I'm hoping we might be able to scare him into giving Estelle up as being the instigator of the whole thing."

"Sounds like a plan. Ready whenever you are." Duncan replied as Jenn hurried to finish off her lunch. Nick returned and put a hot mug of tea on the end of her desk. She smiled at him. Duncan watched curiously. Jenn looked at the tea regretfully; it was probably going to go cold before she had a chance to drink it. Duncan went back to his desk and sat down while he waited for Jenn. Seeing them both sitting there he thought he'd do a bit of digging to see for himself if there might be any truth to Allie's suggestion.

"So Nick," he asked grinning mischievously, "seeing anyone?" The question took Nick completely by surprise. He looked a bit shell shocked. Duncan grinned to himself. "Well there must be a reason why you did me such a good turn." Since Allie had mentioned it Duncan had got to thinking and kept more of a lookout. He'd noticed a few looks pass between Jenn and Nick when they thought no one was watching. He'd also remembered how Nick would often get food for Jenn and make her tea. Of course, he thought, that didn't necessarily mean Jenn returned his affections.

"So did you call Rachel yet?" Nick asked wanting to redirect the question away from himself. Duncan grinned. Classic deflection move. Oh well he'd wait until Jenn wasn't around and give it another go.

"I'm taking her to Jacques Raymond tonight."

Nick wasn't really into fine cuisine and he had no idea where Jacques Raymond was. "That sounds expensive," he commented smirking, "trying to impress her?"

"Well she obviously has a taste for the finer things in life," he said puffing out his chest. Nick laughed while Jenn observed the conversation, busy taking sips of tea in between stuffing down her sandwich and cake. "Where did you take her?"

Nick shrugged, "Not sure the name of it. It was a place she suggested."

"Well there you go," joked Duncan, "No wonder she wanted my number. She could see I was a better bet! A girl like Rachel wants a man who can take control." _Really?_ Thought Nick. Jenn tried not to choke on her cake as she snorted.

"Are you from the dark age Dunny?" She laughed.

"Nah I'm just saying that a woman likes to be taken care of," he could see Jenn's disbelieving look as he continued, "Whatever she says otherwise." Jenn didn't look convinced. "You just wait. I'll have Miss Rachel McBride eating out of my hand before the night is over."

"Well have fun with that!" Said Jenn smiling at him. She really did hope he had a good time. "OK I'm ready. We can go now," she stated.

"Where are you going?" Asked Nick.

"We're going to interview Marsiliani again. Paul found some new evidence on Jason's laptop and we're hoping if we confront him with it he'll admit it was Whittaker who gave him the payoff."

Jenn and Duncan made the evidence they had sound a whole lot better than it actually was. Marsiliani gave up Whittaker easily once they told him they had pictures of him receiving money from him and he was looking at a whole lot more time in jail for taking a payoff to kill Janice.

"That was almost too easy," commented Jenn as they left the interview room to go back up to their desks.

"Hmm," replied Duncan shoving his hands in his pockets. They still had to wait for forensics to come back on the blood evidence and DNA though so there wasn't much more they could do. Jenn sat back down at her desk and stared at the congealed soymilk floating on the top of her now cold tea. She turned up her nose at it in disgust as her stomach turned _yuck_! Just looking at it was enough to put her off drinking tea with soymilk again.

Matt came out of his office and looked at Jenn pointedly. _Is it seven already_ she asked herself incredulously. He tapped his watch and grinned at her.

"OK, OK I'm going," she chuckled as she started to tidy up her desk.

"Enjoy the break. There's not much more we can do here tonight anyway," he smiled. She gathered her things and glance over at Nick, who'd been waiting for her and gave him a look_ let's get out of here_ then headed off towards the lift. He looked around and grabbed his jacket then followed after her at a discreet distance. Duncan started to grab his stuff, anxious to get ready for his date with Rachel.

"You may as well go now too," Matt said addressing Allie.

"Rhys is due back tomorrow isn't he?" Duncan looked at Allie. Even though she wished she didn't know, it was burned on her brain that he was coming back tomorrow. She wasn't going to act like she cared though and she shrugged nonchalantly at Duncan as she gathered up her things.

"I thought you were pals?" Commented Duncan surprised. "You two have a falling out or something?"

"Let's just say that he's more interested in advancing his career than keeping his friends," Allie replied. Duncan looked at her querulously but said nothing further as he watched her walk out the door. He wondered what Rhys had done to piss her off.


	18. I'm not Going Anywhere

OK as promised...

This was a hard chapter to write in the sense that I wanted to try to make it realistic rather than sappy. You will be the judge of whether it works or not. I did also borrow one line of Jenn's dialogue from the CH finale.

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><p>Disclaimer: I do not own City Homicide or it's characters (unfortunately) nor do I own Homesick by Rai Thistlethwayte<p>

This is pure fiction any likeness to real people or events, strange but purely coincidental.

* * *

><p>"<em>I would lay down my fears just to spend my years with you cause when I'm standing at your door I don't feel homesick anymore"<em>

_ Homesick by Rai Thistlethwayte_

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><p>As soon as they walked in through his door Jenn started to lead Nick to the couch so she could finally give him the news but he had other ideas. Before she had the chance to broach the subject he pulled her into his arms and started kissing her, wanting to make up for the months he'd missed her. His hands roamed leisurely over her body and she started to forget she had something important she needed to tell him. She giggled as his kisses tickled her ear and he started moving her towards his bedroom.<p>

"Shouldn't we eat first?" She murmured in a concupiscent haze.

"Dinner can wait," he mumbled between kisses, "I need you."

He had an amazing knack of being able to divest her of her clothes without her even realising it until they were under the sheets together. She laughed softly as he deftly rolled her over beside him and she realised he'd got her out of her clothes again and all in under a couple of minutes. Nick hovered over her and gazed down at her admiringly then started kissing her passionately. She moaned softly and ran her hands down the curve of his back; she could tell he was in the mood to take his time this time. Suddenly he stopped for a moment and looked at her. He kissed her and stroked her cheek with such tenderness, staring into her eyes intently _you have no idea how much I love you Jenn_. She stared back and saw complete devotion and tenderness and it suddenly hit her that they were _in love_: Totally, utterly and unconditionally. The realisation both scared and exhilarated her at the same time. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes as she reached up and held his face in her hand _I love you_ _so much, Nick. _She pressed her lips to his then buried her face against the curve of his neck and they hugged each other. They smiled into their kisses, their lips laughing against each other's in pure joy. His hands roamed her curves gently as the passion built between them. He took his time kissing her wherever he could reach driving her crazy with desire until she pulled him back to her and they clasped each other, moving together slowly.

Nick rolled them over and held her afterwards and they cuddled up as they usually did. Jenn lay with her head on his chest, peacefully, listening to the sound of his quickened heartbeat. He kissed her shoulder and she smiled and reached up to kiss his lips and laced the fingers of her left hand in his. He could tell she had something on her mind. He held onto her hand tightly in anticipation of what she might be going to say. She seemed very nervous and it wasn't helping to put his mind at ease. He lay patiently waiting for her to speak. Even though she was fairly sure he'd be pleased she still had knots in her stomach as she bit on her lip preparing to tell him that both their lives were about to change forever.

"What I've been wanting to tell you for a few days now. The reason I haven't been feeling well is because…. it's morning sickness." She rolled her eyes, "except for me it seems to be all the time." His eyes widened. He'd suspected but actually hearing her come out and confirm it was a bit overwhelming. He couldn't speak and his face revealed a mixture of emotions as the cogs of his mind processed this new information.

When he hadn't spoken after what seemed like an inordinately long time to Jenn she raised her head to observe his face. He looked shocked which increased her apprehension. For a brief moment she started to fear and wonder if she was wrong that he'd be pleased.

"I'm pregnant Nick," she stated as though he hadn't understood her and she needed to reaffirm her first statement. Suddenly pure joy shone through his eyes as the shock dissipated and a huge grin broke out across his face. He wrapped his arms around her murmuring her name against her hair and hugging her tightly.

"You're sure?" She nodded pulling back from his embrace and looking at him quizzically _you're really asking me that?_ He kissed her soundly then shrugged sheepishly and placed his hand gently on her tummy with wonderment in his eyes, "How long?" She placed her hand on top of his,

"Nearly eleven weeks now I think. I have a scan booked next week I'll know for sure then." She gazed down at their joined hands shyly, "Do you want to come with me?" His eyes danced.

"You want me to be there?" He asked carefully not wanting to make any assumptions still not quite sure of where he fit into the bigger picture. "I'm here for you but I need to know, what do you want Jenn?" She looked at him in surprise _I thought that was obvious?_

"I want you. That's always what I've wanted."

"What about us both being homicide cops?" He asked with the risk of adding consternation to the conversation.

"I don't think that matters anymore." She maintained her eye contact with him, her face affirming the truth of her words, "but obviously things are a bit more complicated now." She pulled back suddenly feeling concerned, "You know I don't want to be with you just because of the baby?"

He chuckled and squeezed her shoulder, "Thought never crossed my mind." He contemplated the situation for a moment. "Are you happy?"

"Yeah," she looked deeply into his eyes, "Yeah. I am now." He tightened his arms around her and kissed her tenderly. She scooted up in his embrace until her nose touched his.

"I love you," she placed her hand against his cheek, "so much Nick." He touched her cheek gently. "I should have told you that a long time ago." He smiled at her, pressing his lips to hers, elated to hear her finally voice what he'd been hoping to hear for a long time.

"Well you know how I feel about you," he said, his lips brushing against her ear making her laugh softly.

"Yeah but I like hearing you say it anyway."

He caressed her cheek. "I love you." He kissed her again softly, murmuring, "I love you," against her mouth. They kissed again and she sighed and leaned into him putting her head on his shoulder. He put his arms around her and they lay together both contemplating how fast their lives were changing.

Suddenly Nick laughed breaking the contemplative mood. Jenn looked up at him curiously. "You know we're never gonna hear the end of this when the others find out." She groaned,

"Yeah it's all right for you to laugh. You're a man. All the men will be slapping you on the back for a job well done. Me, they'll be looking at in a whole different light for sleeping with my colleague." She sighed shuddering to think about the atmosphere of silent judgement she was going to have to endure especially from Bernice Waverly.

He cupped her cheek with his hand, "No they won't. This isn't a casual fling remember?" She nodded. "And everyone knows how professional you are." He smirked knowing how she'd react to what he was going to say next. "Anyway if anyone says anything off about you they'll have me to deal with!" Jenn punched his arm playfully and laughed at his protectiveness.

"I don't need you to stick up for me!" Even though she acted as though it annoyed her it was actually one of the things that had made her fall in love with him. "It's Commander Waverly finding out that I'm really not looking forward to," she admitted, picturing Bernice's face when she told her because she _would_ tell her personally. Right after she told Matt. She raised her eyebrow as the thought of telling him flitted through her mind: disappointment flashing across his face that she hadn't confided in him about Nick.

"Well," said Nick slowly, "Her attitude reflects decisions she's made in her own life," he looked at her with _you know it's true_ written on his face. "Your happiness is the most important thing and not what Commander Waverly or anyone else might think." She kissed him.

"Yeah I know that," she said softly then rolled her eyes, "I can just imagine what Dunny will say all the awful undercover and stakeout jokes. Ahrgg and Allie she already said she thought I'd put on weight she'll be gloating that she was right about us all along. This is going to be so embarrassing."

"Allie said that?" He asked incredulously raising his eyebrows.

Jenn nodded smiling slightly, "Yeah. She said my bum looked fat and I was pudgy round the middle." Nick raised an eyebrow. He didn't know why he was surprised at Allie's rudeness she wasn't known for keeping her opinions to herself. He ran his hands licentiously down Jenn's back. "Well I don't think you have!" Jenn smiled at him. Nick had never made any secret of how much he liked how she looked. "Well you wouldn't you're a man," she rubbed noses with him playfully, "You probably wouldn't notice if I had anyway."

He chuckled and pulled her closer to kiss her again, "Yes I would."

Jenn broke the comfortable silence first.

"I'm scared Nick," she admitted. "I still don't really feel ready. I don't know if I can do this."

"You mean the job and motherhood or just motherhood?" He looked at her, "Because I know you'll be great." She squeezed his hand gratefully as he continued, "We're a team. We didn't plan things this way." Jenn raised her eyebrows at him and snorted quietly _no kidding_. Nick smirked, "But we've got through far worse together I'm sure we can handle a kid. Or two," he added hopefully.

"Lets just see how we handle one first," she laughed then sighed resignedly, "I knew I'd be the one who ended up transferring." They lay in silence for another few minutes before Nick spoke.

"That's assuming that we're telling them that I'm the father. Is that what we're doing because in theory no one would have to know," he spoke slowly as though he were still mulling over the idea but in truth he was wanting her to reaffirm the status of their relationship. She looked at him questioningly, "I don't think that would really work do you?" She briefly contemplated the idea before continuing, "And anyway," she shook her head, "I couldn't lie to everyone like that." He nodded in agreement. He didn't like the idea either.

"You could speak to Matt quietly," Nick suggested.

"What and sneak off somewhere? Yeah right and what will I tell him? Nick knocked me up so I've gotta transfer," she laughed.

"That's one solution." He said smirking. Jenn looked at him.

"Pleased with yourself aren't you?" She said with a smile.

He touched her cheek lovingly, "And why shouldn't I be? I have everything I've always wanted right here." He kissed her. "We better figure something out and we'll have to do it soon because it's going to be bloody obvious to everyone in a couple of months and they'll make one of us transfer when they find out so it's better to tell them first." Jenn nodded.

"I don't want to hide this from anyone. I'm tired of secrets. I'd rather we told the others before it becomes more obvious anyway. It's not like I'm ashamed of this, like I think we did anything wrong," she said, "because I'm not and we didn't!"

Nick looked down at their hands shyly, wondering if he was being completely ridiculous to bring this up again so soon. He took her hand and kissed it saying with quiet intensity,

"What I said when we broke up. I meant that." He caught her gaze and she looked back at him in surprise. "I still want that. I'm saying this not because of the baby. It's what I want with you. Just tell me what _you_ want." She looked down at his hand holding hers and smiled. Before she could reply he continued, his voice almost pleading with her in anticipation of a negative answer.

"I love you Jenn. I promise that if you're willing to take the risk with me I'll do everything in my power to make it work," She placed her hand against his cheek,

"I know you will," she looked at him intently, "Me too." He looked slightly shocked.

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes!" He looked at her as though he couldn't believe she'd just agreed. "I love you." She kissed him. _I'm not going anywhere I promise._ They entwined in a tender embrace relaxing in the reassurance of their feelings for each other. "How are we going to break this to the others?" Jenn asked. "It might be too much of a shock for them? They're going to think we've been lying to them for ages," she sighed but Nick had an idea about that.

"What about we have a party, invite them over and tell them then? At least we'll be out of the office, they'll be relaxed and with a few drinks in them it might not be so bad? Might make it easier. What do you think?" She nodded and yawned as her stomach growled loudly. Nick looked at his watch, "I didn't realise it'd got so late. We should get some dinner." He put his hand on her tummy and talked to it, "You've got two to feed now." Jenn laughed at his silliness. "What do you want? I'll go and get it." She gazed at him lovingly and placed her hand against his cheek.

"You're too good to me."

"Well I owe you a few don't I?" They laughed. "Chinese?" He suggested as he pulled on his clothes.

"Nah. You know I could really go for a pepperoni and mushroom pizza from that Italian place down the road. Make sure they put heaps of cheese on it," she grinned.

"You got it." He gave her a quick kiss before leaving the room. She lay back against the pillows deliriously happy and closed her eyes thinking how amazing everything seemed to be right now. Who knew that giving in to what had scared her for so long could make her feel so much at peace.


	19. Pulling the Pieces Together

Aghh terrible bout of insomnia so you guys get another chapter a bit earlier than anticipated.

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><p>Disclaimer: I do not own City Homicide or it's characters (unfortunately)<p>

This is pure fiction any likeness to real people or events, strange but purely coincidental.

* * *

><p>The next morning when they got to work it was all go in the office. All the forensics had come back and Matt was trying to gather his team for a review in the meeting room. Jenn decided she needed to use the bathroom before she sat through a team meeting. When she came back in she headed straight to the break room to make herself some tea, still looking rather green around the gills. Nick wished he could do something to make her feel better. He made sure no one was looking then followed her. He walked up behind her and touched his fingers to hers lightly.<p>

"Not feeling too good this morning?" He queried softly.

"This is all your fault," she hissed miserably.

"Yeah. You're right. It is," he smiled at her complaisantly. Jenn looked at him and they laughed together quietly. "Is there anything I can do to help?" He asked looking at her tenderly.

"Not really. I wish they wouldn't use those awful air fresheners in the bathroom that squirt when you least expect it. The smell makes me feel worse and I just can't get rid of this awful taste in my mouth." Rhys walked in and caught them off guard momentarily.

"Morning guys," he said as they moved a little further away from each other but their tender moment had not entirely escaped his notice. He really didn't care. He ended his relationship with Allie because he'd got caught twice but he certainly wasn't about to say anything to ruin it for Nick and Jenn. In any case he suspected that if Nick and Jenn were an item then it was probably serious between them whereas he and Allie had just been a casual thing. He did miss her sometimes though. They'd had fun together. She'd been a good mate but he was starting to get irritated by her constant quips at him any chance she got.

"Hey Rhys. How was Goulburn? Fighting fit and ready to go?" Asked Jenn cheerfully.

"Ready to take on Allie at any rate," joked Duncan as he walked in. Rhys looked at Duncan and wondered what Allie might have been saying about him behind his back.

"I heard that," said Allie walking in behind Duncan and heading over to get coffee. "Matt says he wants us all in the briefing room now. And for the record even after training at Goulburn for over two weeks Rhys wouldn't be able to take me on!" Duncan grinned widely: He didn't doubt it.

"I doubt if there are very many who'd be ready to take you on!" Rhys quipped at her.

"Be fun to watch though!" Said Duncan and they all laughed, Rhys not so much as the others.

"So how'd your date go last night Dunny?" Nick asked.

"Well you know I can't divulge details but…pretty well actually," he beamed.

"So even after your caveman routine she's actually willing to go out with you again?" Teased Jenn.

"I think it's a pretty safe bet…" He was about to say something smart when Matt poked his head into the break room instructing them all to stop messing about and get into the meeting room. Allie pulled a face at his back as he left the room again and followed Duncan out.

When the team were finally assembled around the table Matt started off the meeting by reviewing their evidence so they could plan their next strategy. He felt cranky because it seemed to him that his team were being deliberately uncooperative and he was being pressured by his superiors to get a result on this case.

"Welcome back Rhys." Matt looked at Rhys who had just sat down. "Just listen in and you'll probably get caught up with most of the information pertinent to the case," he said officiously while Rhys nodded. "So lets go through what we've got," said Matt looking at the forensics reports. "So we didn't get much out of Whittaker or Estelle in interview is that correct?"

"Yeah Mrs Armedes lawyered up and refused to say anything," said Duncan. "Whittaker denied everything and we didn't have enough on him to hold him."

"Right," responded Matt. "Well forensics have come back on the blood on the steering wheel, in the boot and under wheel rim of the Mercedes belonging to Estelle Armmedes as well as the paint flakes from Newry Street. As we suspected the blood in the car was a DNA match to Jason Hawkins and the paint flakes found on the street were a match to the paint on the car. Problem is we need to prove who was driving it at the time Jason was run down. Nick did you get anywhere with the traffic cameras?"

Nick grinned. "Well we actually had some luck there. We caught the car on camera in three locations: Red light camera at Parkville South and twice on the Eastern Freeway so we can track its movements on the night Jason died. We know it was in the area both where he was hit at around the right time as well as close to where his body was dumped. With a bit of help from those clever boys downstairs we have also got a picture from the Parkville Southbound red light camera almost clear enough to prove it was John Whittaker driving." Nick grinned as he pinned the picture up on the board. "They're still working on trying to enhance it even further but I think with all the other evidence we probably have enough to arrest him."

Matt grinned widely, "Right. Lets get him back in here then! Duncan and Jenn you interviewed Marsiliani again last night is that right?"

"Yes. Paul Wilson found a recording on Jason's laptop of Estelle Armedes arguing with Janice Hawkins and making what could be interpreted as a threat against her. He also enhanced some photos that were on Jason's phone that look like John Whittaker giving a package to Jo Marsiliani. They weren't very good quality unfortunately but Duncan and I spoke with Marsiliani again and he admitted it was John Whittaker who paid him to kill Janice. This evidence also gives both Whittaker and Estelle a motive to kill Jason: Assuming of course they knew he had the photos and sound file."

"Mmm good work," nodded Matt. "Well we'll bring Estelle back in as well."

"Also Ronnie has completed the autopsy on Stephen and concluded that his death was definitely suicide so we can rule out any foul play there." Added Jenn. "We got a statement from him the day before he killed himself claiming he saw Whittaker take the car out around 9:30 pm and he didn't get back until midnight. He also claimed it was his mother who was behind Janice's murder and Jason's death. He said she had money in a safe and about ten grand was missing. Only problem is I still can't prove it."

"Well it's a good start. Maybe something will come up during interview you can pin her on," suggested Matt. Jenn suddenly had an idea.

"Have you got Jason's autopsy report there?" She asked.

"Yes, why?" Matt replied curiously.

"Does Ronnie make any note to say whether Jason would have died from his injuries immediately?" Matt cottoned on to what Jenn was getting at. "Because if we can show he didn't die immediately and we can prove that Whittaker was the one who hit him with the car then we can at least charge him with murder for deliberately failing to get medical attention for him. Maybe we could threaten him with even more jail time unless he tells us about Estelle's involvement?"

"Good idea," said Matt handing the report to Jenn. "I'll let you follow up on that."

When she got back to her desk she received a phone call. To her surprise it was Susie Armedes.

"Look I don't know if it helps but I remembered where I saw that man you showed me the picture of. He's a friend of John's, John Whittaker. Stephen and I were in the pub with him one day and that man came up to us and started talking to him."

"OK. Thanks Susie. I'll look into it," Jenn said as they ended the call. She made a mental note to do some research on Whittaker.

* * *

><p>"Look mate it was an <em>accident<em>. You know how it is: it was dark and the kid ran out and I didn't see him. _Accident_." Whittaker was far too sure of himself. It was starting to annoy Nick.

"So why didn't you stop and call an ambulance?" Nick questioned.

"He was dead. I panicked." The man seemed to have no conscience whatsoever. He was way too smug. Nick felt pissed off. It was clear Whittaker thought he'd get off lightly by pleading accidental death. He decided to get tougher.

"So you picked him up, stuffed him in the boot of your car and drove him to an abandoned lot where you dumped him hoping no one would find him. Sounds very cold and calculated to me John!"

Duncan joined in. Rustling his papers and flipping through them to suggest he was reading further evidence. "What if we told you that the pathologists report stated that he didn't die from the impact but from exposure and his injuries not being attended to?" he postulated.

"It was an accident!" John insisted foolishly.

"I think that's a lie John," said Nick with a smile. "You see we have proof from our crime forensics team that studied the road where Jason was killed. It showed you didn't even try to stop. We also caught you on a red light camera speeding away from the scene." That seemed to finally trip Whittaker up. He momentarily lost his calm demeanour, his face turning ashen not from remorse but fear of harsher punishment. Duncan and Nick grinned inwardly, they'd got the upper hand now and they started to go in for the kill.

"You know what that means don't you John?" Said Nick pacing around the room behind Whittaker to disorient him. "You're looking at a murder sentence and I'm willing to bet that when the jury hear how that kid died a slow, painful death because you did nothing to help him they'll recommend life!"

"We have probable cause and we know you had a motive. You found out Jason had photographs of you paying off Marsiliani for his mother's murder so you went after him and you ran him down with your car, didn't you!" Bellowed Duncan.

"No! No! It was an accident!" Shouted Whittaker.

"You know that's getting old John and somehow I just don't believe you," Nick continued. "And what's more I don't think a jury will either. Our pathologist is very convincing on the stand. You're looking at 20 to life for being a cold calculating killer of a young innocent kid." Nick said loudly. Whittaker was actually looking a bit worried now so Nick and Duncan decided to play their next card.

"We know your wife had just as much reason to want Jason dead as you did. In fact we think she had even more of a reason to want him dead." Duncan suggested. "He was heir to her son's fortune if anything happened to him. We know she was stealing her son's money and she didn't want Jason or Janice getting in the way. We think she _told_ you to kill Jason and gave you the money to pay Marsiliani to kill Janice." Whittaker listened without much change in his facial expression but Duncan and Nick could tell he was getting antsy. "We have proof that you paid Jo Marsiliani and Ricky Barillaro to kill Janice. Marsiliani told us everything. And we have pictures Jason took of the exchange. That alone gets you a conspiracy to commit murder sentence. Coupled with the fact you killed Jason in cold blood and you're going away for a very long time!" Nick paced about behind Whittaker again then placed his hands on the back of his chair and said, almost in Whittaker's ear, "You might be able to gain some leniency if you admit your wife's involvement. Are you really willing to go to prison and take all the blame for her?" He asked incredulously.

"My wife had nothing to do with it," said Whittaker stubbornly. Duncan shook his head sadly,

"Well that's a shame to hear you say that. You know she told us she only married you because she knew she could manipulate you and get you to do anything she wanted you to."

"Not true"

"You know she's blaming all this on you. She's going to walk away and take all of Stephen's money while you rot in jail. Are you really going to let her get away with that?" Duncan said incredulously.

"Com'on John. We know how it is: Whispered suggestions in the heat of passion and promises of more if you just do this one little thing for her. Seems simple enough just deliver a package and find someone else to do your dirty work," Nick proposed smoothly as though it would have been the most natural thing in the world for Whittaker to have done.

"She wouldn't do that to me!"

"Maybe you don't know her as well as you think," Duncan added doubtfully.

"You're lying!" Whittaker almost screamed. Duncan gave Nick a sly glance.

"Well if you're sure," he said and gathered up his papers and they walked out of the interview room.

"Do you think he'll own up?" Queried Duncan as they walked back to their desks.

"I dunno. Hard to tell," replied Nick contemplatively. "We gave it a pretty good go. Wonder if Jenn and Allie got anywhere with Estelle?"

But Allie and Jenn hadn't done any better with Estelle this time than Duncan and Allie had the last time. Estelle was rude and uncooperative when she did speak and, as was her right, she refused to say anything without a lawyer present. They didn't glean anything useful. She just wasn't fazed by anything they said or threatened her with. And as they were leaving the interview room Jenn overheard Estelle's lawyer speaking to her client quietly, "Don't worry they've got nothing on you and they know it. Just continue on keeping your mouth shut and you'll be home and dry." Jenn just knew without a doubt that Estelle was behind the whole conspiracy and it made her so angry and frustrated that it looked like she was going to get away with it and there was nothing she could do. _"Com'on we know you argued with Janice and threatened her if she refused to leave Stephen!" Jenn said firmly. "We have a recording of your conversation with her!"_  
>"<em>So they had an argument. If that's all you've got we'll be going." Estelle's lawyer said while starting to close her briefcase. <em>

Jenn was feeling too emotional. She spied Nick coming towards her in the hall and gave him a _can we talk_ look. When they got outside to their place Jenn leaned against him putting her arms around his neck. She started sobbing in anger and frustration.

"Hey, hey what's up," he crooned kissing her gently. She shook her head.

"I'm sorry. I'm so emotional lately it's not me," she cried. "You know I'm not like this!" Nick rocked her slowly in his arms and kissed her again.

"Well you know I have heard that pregnancy can do this to a woman." Jenn couldn't help laughing through her tears. She placed her hand on his cheek,

"I love you." They held on to each other enjoying the comfort and closeness for a few moments. "Ahhh!" She stamped her foot and swiped at some of the tears. "It's this case! I just overheard Estelle's lawyer telling her that she'll get away with it if she just keeps quiet. It makes me so mad because I know she's right. I want to get Estelle for what she's done but I just can't find anything solid on her." Nick sighed and caressed her cheek.

"Babe, you know it's like this sometimes. We do all we can but sometimes it's just not enough. It's the worst part of this job."

"I want to get her Nick. I want to make her pay for what she did!"

"I know," he sighed rubbing her back gently.

Duncan whistled cheerfully to himself. It was a lovely day and he'd decided to take a walk along the river on his way back from getting some lunch. He happened to glance up and his eyes widened and his jaw dropped. _Allie was right!_ Jenn and Nick had been dark horses all along. He turned away not wanting to feel like a peeping tom. As he made his detour away from them he saw them again out of the corner of his eye. They weren't just sleeping together. No, that was love he witnessed, real love! He was happy for them but at the same time he was worried. Granted their location was somewhat discreet and it was a pure fluke that he'd even seen them but what if one of the bosses saw them? They'd be in for it. He wondered if he should talk to Nick quietly and warn him that people were starting to notice. _And talk_ he thought ruefully about his conversation with Allie. He wasn't sure she could be trusted to keep her mouth shut.


	20. Plans

Sorry for the delay. Hopefully it won't take me as long to complete the last chapter.

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><p>Disclaimer: I do not own City Homicide or it's characters (unfortunately)<p>

This is pure fiction any likeness to real people or events, strange but purely coincidental.

* * *

><p>The team were assembled in the meeting room again to go over all their evidence and plan where to go from here. Bernice Waverly observed from the side along with DSS Stanley Wolfe and DSup Jarvis.<p>

"Where are Mapplethorpe and Buchanan?" Queried Commander Waverly surveying the table.

"Here Ma'am." Jenn answered behind her as she walked into the room briskly, slightly out of breath, followed closely by Nick. Matt breathed a sigh of relief. He'd only just noticed they were missing. He was sure they'd have a good explanation but he didn't want to have to explain why he didn't know where two members of his team were. Jenn reddened slightly embarrassed they were both late. Thoughts of how she'd been woken up that morning flashed through her head making her smile despite herself. She never usually behaved in a manner that was anything other than professional but this morning was an exception, she just couldn't resist.

"_Jenn," Nick spoke softly against her ear. She appeared to still be very deeply asleep. He rubbed his hand gently across her stomach. "Hey Babe,"_

"_Hmm," she mumbled sleepily pulling his arm to wrap around her more tightly._

"_Time to get up." He nuzzled her neck making her spine tingle pleasurably._

"_Can't I just stay here today?" She groaned. "I feel wrecked." He kissed her shoulder mouthing against it, _

"_Well if it was up to me…" he moved his hand up under her top. She chuckled and turned over in his arms and they kissed each other passionately._

"_Ahh you're right, I better get up. It wouldn't be as much fun without you here anyway." She ran her hand seductively down low on his abdomen and gave him a mischievous grin, "Pity to waste this." He grinned and rolled over on top of her. She smiled up at him and kissed him quickly then made a move to get out of bed but he pinned her down making her laugh. _

"_You're just going to leave me here like this?" He groaned incredulously and placed little nuzzling kisses down her neck, "You get me all excited then leave me that's not playing fair Jennifer Mapplethorpe." She laughed, groaning softly as he ran his hands over her body wantonly. She tried half heartedly to push him off of her,_

"_Nick we'll be late." She sighed as he cradled her beneath him kissing her tenderly. "Nick," she moaned softly against his mouth as he kissed her, "now you're not playing fair."_

Jenn tried to curtail the absolute inner joy she was feeling and concentrate on the situation at hand as she placed her takeaway tea down on the table along with a couple of folders she'd grabbed off her desk on the way in to the meeting. Bernice eyed Jenn and Nick waiting for an explanation. Nothing could spoil Jenn's happiness today though. "Nick was helping me to go over the case notes again to try and find another angle to go at Estelle Armedes with," Said Jenn with an air of efficiency. Duncan put his hand over his mouth with an amused grin to stifle a laugh. _Yeah that's a good one Jenn_ he thought looking at Nick's face _that's not the only thing he's been going over_. The senior officers seemed to be none the wiser but Nick definitely had the look of a satisfied man about him. _Lucky bastard _Duncan thought. He and Rachel hadn't slept together yet but that was OK he didn't mind taking his time with her. He wasn't after a one-night stand and he was sure that tonight was the night after the extravagant plans he had for the evening. He'd spent a bit more on taking her out than he usually did but Rachel was worth it, he really liked her. She was a girl he could really talk to as well as enjoy looking at.

"OK what have you got?" Waverly questioned Jenn. Nick wondered where on earth Jenn was going with this since he knew all very well they'd only just walked in the door! He honed his ears ready to back her up if necessary as Jenn started talking Waverly through the evidence.

"We have plenty of forensic evidence to prove Whittaker killed Jason with the car. We have motive as well because Jason took photographs of his exchange with Marsiliani so we've got Whittaker for murder as well as conspiracy to murder Janice. He's a done deal. Estelle is the tough one that we need to crack. She's got a good lawyer and she's refusing to talk. She knows we don't have any evidence linking her directly to Janice or Jason's death. I even overheard her lawyer telling her so after the interview." Waverly raised an eyebrow. She hated that kind of cocky suspect. "But I _know_ she planned the whole thing!" Insisted Jenn.

"Do you have any proof she's behind it?" Questioned Commander Waverly.

"That's the problem. Not really. I just _know_ she is," sighed Jenn. "What we have is mostly circumstantial. I can prove she's stealing her son's money. She needed him alive but incapacitated in order to keep stealing it but Janice got in the way of that by convincing Stephen to get help for his drug addiction which encouraged him to try to get his inheritance back. We have a recording Jason made of Estelle arguing with Janice trying to get her to leave Stephen and threatening her if she didn't."

"Threatening her how? Did she threaten to kill her?" Contested Bernice.

"Unfortunately no. Not directly. That's why it's circumstantial unless we can prove she ultimately provided the money to kill Janice. We know Jason was Stephen's son (we have a positive DNA test to prove it) and he would have inherited if Stephen died so that was additional motive for her to want Jason out of the way; so long as she knew he was Stephen's son but unfortunately I can't prove that she did. The only direct evidence we have against her is Stephen's statement but on its own it's not enough to convict her especially now that he's committed suicide. But Whittaker must have got the money to pay Marsiliani from Estelle. It's the only explanation. Stephen said she used to keep a large quantity of cash in a safe in her bedroom. He said ten grand went missing around the time Janice was killed. Marsiliani admitted Whittaker paid him to off Janice and we also have photographs of the exchange thanks to Jason but we can't show where Whittaker got the money from. He has no money of his own. Estelle had to have given it to him. Though she could claim he stole it from her I suppose," Jenn admitted reluctantly. "Whittaker had reasons of his own to want Jason dead, he witnessed the pay off but Estelle had 100 million more and unless we can find some way of making her talk she's going to get away with it! She's smart. So I was trying to think of a way to get her to slip up, make her doubt her position and catch her off guard. I think the only way we're going to get Estelle Armedes is if we can get John Whittaker to turn on her and name her as the one who put him up to it."

"How do we do that?" Quipped Allie. "We've tried a few times now. She won't talk and neither has he."

"Yeah Nick and I tried. We gave him a pretty good going over Jenn," said Duncan doubtfully but not wanting to shoot Jenn's idea down in flames. "He won't roll on Estelle. God only knows why. I'm sure she'd turn on him in a heartbeat."

"That's what I was banking on," she said. "_Her_ turning on him. Her marriage to Whittaker might be one of convenience for her but I think he actually loves her. Stephen told us she uses Whittaker's lust as a bargaining tool to get him to do things for her. That he would do anything for her."

"Amazing what the lure of regular sex will do," quipped Rhys.

"It was the only way he was ever going to be getting any," piped up Allie giggling.

"You'd be surprised what a man will do for sex," commented Rhys.

"No I wouldn't," stated Jenn sardonically causing the room to chuckle. "Anyway," she continued. "We know he's got a temper. And I had an idea," she continued slowly, "but it could be considered a bit controversial." Waverly grinned inwardly. She loved controversial. Even though she had to toe the party line officially she was happy to blur that line any way that she could in the cause of justice without ruffling the feathers of the Commissioner too much. "My idea is and I know this is an old trick but I think we can make it work, we make Estelle believe Whittaker dobbed her in," explained Jenn. "Then, this is the slightly controversial part, we let them see each other in the corridor after we let them out of the interview rooms and wait for the fireworks. They're both pretty explosive personalities so I think we might get lucky and get them with their guard down and one of them will say something to incriminate Estelle. It's worth a shot don't you think?"

"You realise that could be considered entrapment." Warned Waverly.

"Only if they claim it is," suggested Jenn hopefully, "I think they'd have a hard time proving it don't you Ma'am." Bernice looked at Jenn as she took a few moments to consider what she's said.

"Hmm OK but I didn't hear about it all right?" Jenn nodded. "Good work Jennifer," huffed Waverly efficiently. "OK…"

_How __**does**__ she do it?_ Wondered Allie incredulously. _Even when she's late without a decent excuse she manages to impress the old bird! _Allie glanced over at Nick. Judging by his self satisfied air she knew why they were late. _It's so bloody obvious they're sleeping together I don't know how Duncan can't see it. _Once upon a time she would have gone running to Rhys for vindication of her theories but she didn't feel comfortable sharing anything with him anymore. Even if he had wanted to share with her and she wasn't sure he did anymore. They used to be such great mates. She glanced over at him wistfully. She was sorry that was gone. She was tired of being angry with him but she wasn't sure how to mend the fences.

Jenn and Nick held hands as they walked back along the river leisurely after lunch both enjoying the sunny day. Suddenly Nick swung her around and pulled her into his arms and kissed her amorously making her squeal in surprise.

"God I love you!" He said against her mouth as he kissed her. "You are **so** good at ad libing! You were brilliant this morning. I don't know how you did that with a straight face!" She giggled as he looked at her admiringly, "I'm glad I'll never have to face you in the interview room!"

"Ah it pays to be prepared." She said tracing a pattern on his chest with one finger. "And well you inspired me. I knew we were going to be late I just came up with the only credible excuse I could think of that I could back up. We **have** been discussing ways to try and get Armedes."

"Hmm is **that** what we were doing this morning?" He laughed. "We should discuss suspects more often!" They kissed languidly for a few minutes before Jenn pulled back and gazed into his eyes.

"So. When were you thinking we'd get married?" Nick was taken aback and looked so surprised that she'd suddenly brought this up out of the blue that she felt the need to explain herself further.

"I don't see any point in waiting. We're practically living together already. I love you and I want to marry you." A huge grin spread across his face.

"You don't need to convince me! The only reason I didn't bring it up first is because I was waiting for you. I thought you might want to wait until after the baby is born."

"I don't want to wait that long and I don't want to look fat in my wedding dress." She said sheepishly. "And anyway I don't want anything big and fancy. This is about us not the wedding. I just want you and me, family and a few friends there. Is that OK?" She asked uncertainly.

He smiled lovingly at her, stroked her cheek and kissed her softly, "More than OK. In fact I have a suggestion." Her face lit up in joyful conspiracy as he whispered in her ear.

When they got back Jenn found a report on her desk from the forensics lab. Uniforms had confiscated the money Marsiliani received from Whittaker and Jenn had asked them to have a look at it to see if she could find any connection to Janice's murder. The forensics report found fingerprints and minute traces of blood on four of the notes. The blood was a DNA match to Janice _no surprise there since we know they killed her_ thought Jenn but the fingerprints were interesting they were a match to Estelle Armedes. In itself that wasn't particularly damning evidence since there was any number of ways that her prints could have come to be on the notes but if Jenn could trace those notes to a bank transaction that Estelle had made than that would be much more damning! As far as motive went birth records are sealed so unless she had found out Janice was pregnant by Stephen, unfortunately there really wasn't any way she could prove Estelle knew that Jason was her grandson. Stephen could have told her she supposed but he hadn't explicitly said so. Anyway that point was moot now really. Her phone rang interupting her train of thought.

"Hey Ronnie," Jenn answered cheerfully.

"Look I'm sorry it's taken me a couple of days to get back to you but I found a sealed envelope in Stephen's jacket. It's addressed to you so I'm sending it over. Just wanted to let you know. Sorry about the delay."

"That's OK. I know how much work you have to do! Thanks." She put the phone down wondering what on earth Stephen would be writing to her. She hoped it contained some kind of evidence that she could use against Estelle. The research Jenn had done on Whittaker after Susie's call hadn't gleaned anything very interesting. She had managed to find a link between him and Marsiliani though. They'd fought in Vietnam together. At this point though she didn't think that information really added anything to the investigation.

When it arrived the letter Stephen had addressed to her turned out to be a signed affidavit. Jenn read through it. Most of it was the same as he'd already told them in his statement. There were a few additions though. Apparently Estelle _had_ known that Jason was her grandson. Stephen didn't know how she knew though because she'd refused to elaborate. She'd also found out that Jason had evidence against Whittaker and had recorded her argument with his mother. Jason had told him that he was scared because he knew she'd found out. He'd seen Whittaker in the Mercedes staking out his mother's unit. He'd also seen him driving around in Carlton near where Jason had been hiding. _Well this is all useful_ thought Jenn _and a signed affidavit will hold up in court_ _but it's not solid proof._ We'll still have to try and trick her into giving herself up.

As expected Estelle listened to Jenn and Duncan's accusations and suggestions that Whittaker had given evidence against her without batting an eyelid. She appeared to be as unfazed as ever and Jenn started to have doubts that her plan would work. Nick and Jarvis had had a more luck in riling Whittaker up though. He was fuming when Senior Constable Croft escorted him out of interview one and towards the lockup. He spotted Estelle outside interview two. Suddenly he turned on Todd taking him by surprise and pushing him hard into the wall knocking him out. Whittaker ran at Estelle who was in front of Nick, grabbing her and wrapping his arm around her neck holding a small knife at her throat. _How on earth did he get that in here?_ Panicked Nick and he yelled out for assistance. Jenn turned in the corridor to see what was going on and observing the situation ran to get Duncan.

"Put the weapon down." Nick demanded authoritatively, "This is not going to do you any good!"

"I'm not going down for this!" screamed Whittaker hysterically. "This bitch planned the whole thing and paid me to pay those guys off to do it. All I did was deliver the money. I didn't even know what it was for at the time."

"You liar," screamed Estelle. "You stupid, low class labourer. Why didn't you keep your mouth shut and go back to digging in the dirt where you belong!" Then she bit John's hand and kicked his shin hard to make him let go of her. He yelped and the knife slipped allowing Estelle to grab it before Nick could intercede.

"Estelle just put the knife down and we'll talk," Nick commanded. But Estelle wasn't listening. She'd never taken a command from anyone in her life and she wasn't about to start now. She turned on Whittaker raising the knife to stab at him. Nick tried to intervene to separate them but Estelle kicked him hard just as Jenn rounded the corner with Duncan behind her.

"You idiot," Estelle laughed back at Whittaker, taunting him, "you can't get anything right can you? There isn't enough money in the world to keep your big trap shut." This only enflamed Whittaker's rage even more and he hit Estelle in the face making her nose bleed.

"That's enough!" Yelled Duncan who had got round behind Whittaker and managed to restrain him but Nick hadn't quite got the knife out of Estelle's hand and she swiped at him before Jenn could get to him. Nick fell down blood pooling from his neck onto his shirt as a couple of uniformed officers rounded the corner into the corridor.

"Nick!" screamed Jenn forgetting her staunch policewoman demeanour and ran to his side. "Get those paramedics in here," she screamed as she pressed her hand to Nick's neck to try and stop the bleeding, "Officers down!" Nick was looking dazed and bleary eyed.

"Hang on Nick. You hang on! Don't close your eyes," Jenn commanded him. There was so much blood it scared her as she pressed her hand hard to the spot desperately trying to stop the flow. He couldn't die. He wouldn't! She squeezed his hand tightly as she held his head in her lap. He tried to stay awake but everything was becoming dark and fuzzy until he couldn't see anything anymore.

"Don't leave me," she choked back the tears. "Stay with me Nick!" He was aware that Jenn was still there speaking to him but she seemed so far away. He tried to speak but he couldn't move.

Well her plan had worked she thought bitterly, they had her now for attacking an officer of the law as well as financing a murder but Estelle's arrest wasn't worth Nick's life!


	21. Confessions and Concessions

OK. This is going to be pretty Nick and Jenn centric from now on since I'm coming to the end of the story. Turns out this isn't the final chapter because I wrote too much so it's going to be split into two maybe three more. I hope it hasn't turned out too twee. It's probably very fluffy but it was hard not to be considering the things I wanted to cover. Anyway hopefully you will enjoy :D

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><p>Todd Croft had already been released and had gone home but Nick was still lying on a hospital gurney with a large bandage on his neck. Fortunately Todd got away with only a slight concussion and a nasty bruise on his forehead and was allowed to go leave in his wife's care. Nick had been attended to by the ambulance crew on site then hooked up to an IV by a nurse and stitched up by the ED doctor once they arrived at the hospital. They'd been waiting in the ED for well over an hour for the doctor to get back to them and now Nick was getting restless.<p>

"This is ridiculous I am not staying here! Get me the form to sign I'm leaving." He made a move to get off the bed. Jenn was pleased that he was obviously feeling much better but she wanted him to wait and see the doctor just to make sure everything was OK.

"Nick will you please just be patient," pleaded Jenn grabbing his arm, "they just want to make sure you're OK."

"It's not that bad Jenn," he said seriously.

"OK _I _want to make sure you're OK." He could see tears in the corner of her eyes and he clasped her cheek. "I was really scared Nick. There was so much blood and I couldn't stop it. I thought I was going to lose you." He took her hand and looked into her eyes and said seriously, "I promise you that if I'm going to go it won't be by the hand of a pain in the neck like Estelle Armedes!" A sly smirk crept across the corner of his mouth and she started laughing as a tear dripped down her cheek.

"That was terrible!"

He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it. "It made you laugh though didn't it?" He kissed her tenderly and squeezed her hand then let it go surreptitiously when he spotted Duncan flashing his badge at a nurse through the ED doors, "You still lying around ya lazy bastard!" Duncan joked as he approached them.

"He's a terrible patient," said Jenn rolling her eyes. "He doesn't want to stay here until the doctor gets to him!"

"Ready to come back to work then?" Grinned Duncan.

They didn't have to wait much longer for the doctor to come around. Fortunately despite a nicked artery which had required two stiches in his neck, the consequent loss of a lot of blood from the injury and a lot more pain than he was letting on Nick's injuries weren't very serious and the doctor allowed him to be released into Jenn's care. When they got home they curled up together with a sigh of relief on Nick's couch. She kissed him softly and touched her hand to the bandage on his neck gently.

"Someone's going to get raked over the coals for allowing Whittaker to sneak that knife in," said Jenn. "I'm probably in for it too because it was my idea to get them to turn on each other."

"Nah. You couldn't have known Whittaker would manage to sneak a knife past security. And Waverley's not going to have a go at you just because it turned so ugly. We got our arrest didn't we?" He grinned at her.

"A high price to pay though," she kissed his cheek softly and cuddled into him.

"I'm tougher than you think Babe," he caressed her cheek. "I'm not leaving you in a hurry you're stuck with me!" They kissed slowly then Jenn sighed.

"I'm going to have to speak to Matt on Monday. I think people might be starting to notice us. Duncan keeps giving me funny looks."

"Might be a good idea to tell Matt and Waverley then but maybe we should wait three more weeks to tell the others. It depends on how you want to do it though we don't have to wait until the party if you don't want to."

"No I think I'd rather tell them in a social setting than work. Do we really have to wait that long though?"

"It's the minimum time Stanley said it can be done."

"I guess we have no choice then. Oh well we've waited this long what's another couple of weeks but it's going to be hard keeping it a secret!"

He stood up and grabbed her hand excitedly, "Come on there's something I want to show you."

To her surprise he led her upstairs. She'd only been up there once before. It was the last part of the house Nick hadn't started to work on yet and she was curious why he was bringing her up here. He opened the first door on the left at the top of the stairs.

"What do you think? It's not quite finished yet."

The room was painted a cheerful yellow, the floorboards were polished and a colourful children's rug lay on the floor, he'd even got a cot and put a mobile above it. It was a beautiful old-fashioned cot with elaborate carving on the head and footboards and stained a lovely rich, dark mahogany brown. It looked like he'd done it up himself.

"My parents gave us the cot."

Jenn took in a deep breath, "Oh Nick," she breathed. "When on earth did you get time to do all this?"

"Well you sleep quite deeply these days," he grinned sheepishly. She turned to him.

"You've been getting up in the middle of the night and coming here to do this?" He reddened slightly.

"Well I've been wanting to renovate upstairs for ages and now I finally have a reason to get it done. The other room is for us." He said shyly. She didn't know what to say so she threw her arms around his neck and just kissed him.

"You don't mind do you?" He asked uncertainly.

"Why would I mind?"

"Well I know you love your place and it's really nice but I just thought that my place is bigger so it made more sense for you to come and live here. We could do your place up and sell it." _Wow._ She needed to take a minute to take it all in. She hadn't been thinking so far ahead but of course he was right. It made no sense really to keep two houses unless they rented hers.

"Are you pleased?"

"Yeah. Yeah," she reassured him, nuzzling his neck. "Of course I am! I just hadn't been thinking that far ahead."

"Well we have less than six months to go you know." Jenn laughed softly and cuddled him. That was Nick. He liked everything just so, planned and in a straight line from his perfectly ironed shirts right down to his impeccably polished shoes.

"You think my house needs renovating?" She teased.

"Well you know it could do with a little bit of work." He replied carefully. She giggled and kissed him.

"Well that's what I have you for, to think about these things."

On Monday morning she decided to get the inevitable out of the way so first thing she approached Matt but he was in a rush to get to a meeting with the senior officers and he didn't have time to speak with her. She found it hard to concentrate on work all during the morning waiting for the right opportunity to speak to him. When she saw him again he came out of the lift and went straight into to his office. She knew that this probably wasn't the best time to talk but she didn't want to leave it any longer so she figured it was now or never.

"Um Matt could we talk now please?"

"Um sure," he answered wondering what on earth was so important that she wanted to discuss. He looked really harried and she wondered how he was going to take what she had to say. She decided to be blunt about it rather than making small talk first.

"I just wanted you to be the first to know that I'm requesting a transfer." Matt's eyes widened in shock, a sudden fear rushing through him that she thought he was _that_ bad as a Sergeant.

"Why?" He almost squeaked. Jenn noticed his alarm and reassured him.

"It's nothing to do with you. Nick and I are together so that means one of us needs to transfer. We decided it was going to be me."

"Oh," said Matt sitting down in his chair with a thump. It wasn't what he had been thinking but it was equally shocking. "Are you sure Jenn? I mean it's a big thing to give up your position."

"I know," she stated softly to let him know that this wasn't some whim or short-term fling she had with Nick.

"Is it _that_ serious between you?" He asked doubtfully. "Because if you want to think about it I can give you some time."

"We've already made our decision," she said gently but firmly. "I'm going to speak to Commander Waverley about it I just wanted to let you know first." He stayed silent for a while making Jenn shift uncomfortably on her feet in front of his desk.

"Well OK." He seemed to realise any further discussion to persuade her was useless but he hoped Waverley might be able to talk some sense into her.

"Um do you mind not saying anything to the rest of the team just yet? We want to tell them in our own time." Jenn requested.

"Hmm sure thing. Just don't leave it too long before you tell them." Jenn nodded. "Well thanks for giving me the heads up I appreciate it." He tried to smile at her as she got up to leave his office but a strange indescribable feeling of sadness had grabbed at his heart and it came out as more of a nod of acceptance. He was pleased for Jenn, he could tell she was really happy, elated in fact, and she deserved that, it's just he'd never suspected she had such strong feelings for Nick Buchanan of all people. He supposed he hadn't really paid enough attention being more focused on his own relationship and subsequent breakup with Emma. He remembered her sadly. He'd thought they had what it took to make it last but then she'd gone and left him. There were things he could and would have done differently if he had the chance to do things again he thought wistfully. He shook his head disbelievingly as his thoughts redirected back to Jenn and Nick. They'd managed to keep their relationship a secret from everyone it seemed unless everyone already knew and just hadn't told him. _It wouldn't be the first time_ he thought slightly irritated. He decided to talk to Duncan about it at a later time. He owed him a drink anyway.

"How'd it go?" Nick whispered as she got back to her desk. Jenn raised her eyebrows and waved her head slightly to the side to get him to follow her. They stopped in the break room.

"Better than I thought. He took it surprisingly well." She wasn't sure what Bernice's reaction was going to be though and she was really nervous. "Now I just have to speak to Bernice." She shook her hands and shifted on the spot agitatedly, "Ah this is so silly I feel like I'm back in school about to face the headmaster! I'm really nervous Nick." Nick laughed softly, took her hands and kissed them.

"Nah just schmooze her the way you did the other morning when we were late and you'll be fine." He touched her face lovingly in lieu of a kiss but his intent was clear and she returned his sentiment as they turned to see Duncan walking into the break room. He couldn't have failed to notice their exchange. He raised an eyebrow at Nick but said nothing. Nick just grinned and shrugged his shoulders at him as they walked out of the door together. Duncan shook his head and chuckled to himself as he started to make a cup of tea.

Jenn paced for a moment outside Commander Waverley's office. Her hands were sweating. She knocked and went in. Jenn knew Bernice didn't like beating about the bush so she decided to come straight to the point. She handed her the neatly addressed envelope.

"What's this?" Commander Waverley asked in surprise.

"A request for transfer Ma'am."

Commander Waverley looked at her incredulously. "Why? You're the last person I ever expected to put in for a transfer!" Jenn blushed. She wanted to sit down on the chair on front of Bernice's desk but she stayed standing having not been invited to sit.

"Nick Buchanan and I are getting married Ma'am." You could have knocked her over with a feather. Bernice was shocked. Jenn braced herself for her reaction when she told her the rest. "And I'm pregnant." She was speechless. Had her whole team paired off without her knowing it? She took a moment to recover. Feeling extremely irritated that one of her favourite and best detectives had been carrying on a relationship behind her back with one of her colleagues for God only knows how long her tone of voice sounded more annoyed than she meant it to when she asked,

"I see. How long has this been going on?"

"Not long Ma'am." Jenn paused. "It's complicated," she added trying to convey the underlying message that they hadn't intended to go behind her back that there was a lot more to it but it wasn't something she could really talk about. Bernice regarded her seriously for a moment and softened. She seemed to understand and remembered that Jennifer and Nick had been under cover together in the past as well as a couple of months ago. They'd been highly praised for their work. She had no idea really what they had gone through, she could only imagine. She looked at Jenn who was standing rooted to the spot in front of her desk. She was a consummate professional and Bernice knew she wouldn't do anything to compromise her position in the force and she must really love Buchanan if she was willing to give up her position in homicide. She didn't want Jenn to leave.

"Well it would be a shame to lose you," Bernice said in a curt but conciliatory tone and sat down and thought for a moment. She wasn't sure what to do about this off the top of her head she needed time to think. "All right, leave it with me Detective Mapplethorpe." Jenn was surprised but didn't want to question her.

"Ma'am." Jenn didn't make any move to leave and Bernice looked at her querulously. "Umm there's one more thing…"

Jenn left Commander Waverley's office breathing a huge sigh of relief. She was so glad that both confrontations were over that she nearly skipped down the hall to the lift. She felt exhilarated that she'd finally told their superior officers and their relationship was nearly out on the open. She wondered what Bernice had in mind since she hadn't accepted her request outright. Jenn grinned; that had gone far better than she thought it would.

Bernice Waverley sat at her desk and sighed, rubbing her forehead. This was the last thing she needed to have to deal with. She opened Jenn's letter and read it. She had a dilemma. She didn't want to lose either Nick or Jennifer. Good cops shouldn't be penalised for falling in love. They had obviously been able to work together effectively without anyone noticing they were in a personal relationship but she couldn't set a precedent and allow them both to stay especially after she'd laid the law down for Rhys and Allie. No. One of them had to leave. Maybe she could arrange a secondment? Jennifer would be going on maternity leave in six months anyway. She put the letter aside and started to check her email. She'd think on this overnight and maybe something would come to her.

Having got the necessary meetings out of the way Jenn was able to concentrate on work again. They may have arrested Estelle Armedes but the evidence against her was still fairly thin and there were a couple of things Jenn wanted to chase up. She'd started a trace on the bank notes found in Marsiliani's possession that had Janice's DNA and Estelle fingerprints on them and some interesting information was starting to come up.

"Hey Nick look at this!" She said excitedly. Nick bent over her to look at her computer screen and grinned. "Why on earth didn't I think to do this before? I called the bank and they've put aside the CCTV tapes for me. I'm going to have to search through them to see if I can find anything. It might still turn up a blank but it's worth a go!"

"You want some help?" _Silly question_ Jenn just grinned at him as she got up and put her jacket on.

"It's going to be a boring job," she cautioned him.

They'd been in the media lab for almost three hours reviewing CCTV tapes from the bank that Jenn had traced the notes to and so far Estelle hadn't shown up on any of them.

"Aghh," she complained. "My back is killing me. I can't sit on these chairs for such a long time anymore." Nick reached over and started to rub her neck working his way down her back. She moaned softly in pleasure. She knew that they really should keep their distance while they were at work but she thought the likelihood of someone coming into the media lab at this time of the evening and catching them was reasonably remote. Besides it was dark in here. She leaned over towards him for a kiss.

"Maybe we should take a break," he suggested. "We've been going through these tapes for hours."

"Lets go through a couple more and then get something to eat before we do the rest?"

"Sure."

As luck would have it what Jenn was hoping to find was on the last but one tape they reviewed. She smiled in triumph and she paused the tape to show Nick. She'd traced the bank notes from the payoff for Janice's murder back to a bank withdrawal Estelle Armedes had made and now she had her on camera.

"Pretty damning evidence I think. Let her try and explain this one!" Jenn grinned. "Ha! Got her!" Nick put his arms around her and hugged her.

"Well done."

"What do you mean? It wasn't just me."

"No but you were even more persistent than the rest of us and refused to give up on finding something against her and look," he pointed to the screen, "you found it! A conviction is a pretty sure thing now and it's thanks to you."

"Mmm," her stomach growled. "Well now I've found it I'm starving! Lets go home and get something to eat."

"We just ate," he laughed.

"Yeah well I'm hungry again. Are you going to argue with the mother of your child?" She smirked and put her arms around his neck. He grinned back at her caressing her arms gently and leaning in to kiss her. He gazed at her affectionately.

"I love you."

"Love you too. Lets go," she tugged on his hand.

They'd just made their morning coffee and sat down at their desks to start work when Bernice Waverley bustled up to Nick's desk.

"Detective Buchanan. A word." She said quietly, efficiently motioning with her head towards the lift, her arms full of folders and case reports. Jenn's eyes widened as Nick got up and followed her and although he didn't show it he had butterflies in his stomach the whole way up to Waverley's office. Rhys, Allie and Duncan followed after him with their eyes curiously as he left. Nick wondered if Waverley was going to rake him over the coals for having a clandestine relationship with Jenn. He followed her into her office trying to stand tall and not give off the air of a naughty child about to be scolded.

"Sit down Detective." She said curtly as she motioned towards the chair at the front of her desk officiously. "First of all congratulations," she gave him a tight lipped but genuine smile. "Jennifer told me about your plans and I hope you'll be very happy together."

"Thank you Ma'am." Nick raised his eyebrows in surprise, smiling nervously and still wondering where she was going with this.

"Obviously I was surprised to say the least to hear about your relationship with Detective Mapplethorpe but," she paused, "I respect you both. You're excellent Detectives, thoroughly professional and I've never had any reason to doubt either of you. Given that it's serious between the two of you I've given this a lot of thought and I don't want to lose either one of you from the team." He was starting to feel like this meeting might turn out a bit differently to what he'd been imagining. "I wanted to run this by you first before I tell Detective Mapplethorpe but I think I've come up with a suggestion that might suit you."

As soon as he sat back down at his desk Jenn gave him the look. He wasn't surprised. He knew she'd want to know all the details of his conversation with Commander Waverley. He picked up his jacket and started walking towards the lift. This conversation needed to happen in the privacy of their special spot. As soon as they exited the building Jenn's hand found his. And they walked in silence towards the river.

"What did Bernice want?" Jenn asked anxiously and Nick grinned.

"She had an interesting proposition for me."

"Oh yeah?"

"You're not going anywhere. I am." He grinned.

"What do you mean?" She asked in alarm.

"The work we did undercover for SIS and catching Hartono impressed quite a few people. I've been offered a secondment to a unique counter terrorism squad."

"Counter-terrorism Nick? I don't like you being involved in something so dangerous!"

"Jenn it's no riskier than what we already do every day," he pleaded. He grinned mischievously, "Don't worry there's no undercover." She rolled her eyes at him wondering how he could make a joke out it. "_And_ this is the best part," he took her hands in his. "It's only for six months to start with. After six months I can come back to homicide or stay in counter terrorism if I want to."

"Yeah but I don't want you taking any unnecessary risks." She argued. "Things are different now. I don't want our child to grow up without their father," she pouted.

"It's better pay." He said hopefully. She glared at him angrily _you think that matters to me? It's __**you**__ I care about!_ He put his arms around her and hugged her and spoke softly, "It's a good compromise and the extra cash will come in handy when you go on maternity leave. Really this job isn't much different from what we already do here every day." Cradling her in his arms he nuzzled her neck, kissing her tenderly. "Come on Jenn it's a good idea and it means after this we can still work together."

She finally nodded, "I know. You're right," she sighed realising she was being silly and over reacting. "I'm being silly. Must be pregnancy hormones again. I'll miss you not sitting next to me every day though."

"Yeah I know me too but you get me every night." They chuckled together quietly and he held her face gently as he kissed her. "I love you Jenn."

_Three weeks later…_

I wonder what they're being so conspiratorial about?" Allie whispered nodding her head at Rhys in Jenn and Nick's direction. Duncan heard her and looked up and noticed Jenn and Nick with their heads together over Nick's computer. He raised an eyebrow they were always together these days and didn't seem to be making much effort lately to hide how close they were. He was surprised but he figured they knew what they were doing. Allie's computer pinged right after Duncan's did with an email distracting her from observing them as she went to check her messages. She smiled as she read the new message. _So they're giving a party together now_! She grinned and gave Duncan an 'I told you so' look as he read his messages.

"What did I say Duncan?" She said. _They're probably coming out finally and just want to soften the blow_ she thought as she pressed send to give them her acceptance. After she'd sent her reply she began to think about it seriously and wondered which one of them was going to leave. _Probably Jenn_ she thought. She would miss Jenn if she left. She liked the guys but it was nice to have the company of another woman on the team. _Damn I'll be the only woman left on the team if she goes_ she thought feeling a bit dejected about it. _I hope I'm wrong about this._


	22. After All is Said and Done

Well everyone's fluff-o-meter should be well and truly overloaded with this chapter (particularly the end bit!). I probably could have written a bit more of the party banter but I wanted to get this up tonight because I have no time over th enext few days. There's possibly one more ch (def the last for this story) to come. Enjoy :D Oh yeah and thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed and I can't thank personally. I really do appreciate your comments so much!

Also special thanks to Maggiemay for suggestions and encouragement :D and for naming Jenn's Mum – the name just works so I used it :P

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><p>Disclaimer: I do not own City Homicide or it's characters (unfortunately) nor do I own Homesick by Rai Thistlethwayte<p>

This is pure fiction any likeness to real people or events, strange but purely coincidental.

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><p>"<em>And after all is said and done we've made the most of love"<em>

_ Homesick by Rai Thistlethwayte_

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><p>Jenn was busy at the sink brutalising some carrots. Nick wasn't exactly sure what she intended to do with them when she was finished but there didn't look like there was going to be much left at the rate she was going. He put his arms around her waist and kissed her shoulder, then her neck and then her cheek. She smiled contentedly and leaned back against him.<p>

"We're all ready. Beer's cooling, snags on the barbie. We're just waiting on the hoards to arrive." He rocked her gently in his arms. It still felt like a dream that she'd agreed to marry him _and_ they were going to have a baby. Nick did as he frequently did now and moved one of his hands from her waist down below to rest over the small rise she had there now. She put her hands over his enjoying the feeling of being enveloped by him.

"You think they'll be angry we sprung this on them?"

"Nah. They'll get over it. I'm sure they'll be happy for us."

"They're our friends. Why do I feel so nervous? This must be how suspects feel while they're waiting in the interview room." Nick laughed at her.

"We haven't committed murder Jenn unless you want to count those carrots you're stabbing to death. What _are_ you intending to do with them?" Jenn looked down at what was left of the vegetable in her hand. Between Jenn and her Mum there was stacks of food all covered in glad wrap laid out on two long tables by the patio windows.

"I did go a bit overboard didn't I?" She laughed. "Carrot sticks to go with the dip. I wanted something healthy as well as all the chips and things. You know what Allie's like." He took the opportunity to kiss her again.

"You're not nervous about us are you?" He asked uncertainly. She shook her head and turned around to face him and look into his eyes.

"You're the one thing I'm completely sure about," she said seriously and leaned toward him and he met her half way for a tender kiss. He pulled back gazing at her _how did I get to be this lucky?_ He stroked her cheek then kissed her again.

"I got you something," he whispered against her ear and reached for her hand. Jenn couldn't help the huge grin that spread across her face, Nick wasn't subtle.

"Weren't we supposed to do this together?" She asked as he put the ring on her finger. She held it up to the light and watched it sparkle. The sizing wasn't too bad either it was only just a little too big.

"Yeah I know but I saw this and I wanted to get it for you so you could wear it today." He kissed her cheek. "You can take it back if you don't like it," he gazed at her hand blissfully. Jenn looked at it again. How typical of Nick to be so bloody romantic. Wow, so this made it official they really were engaged.

"It's beautiful." She turned her head to kiss him. "Thank you. It's perfect. You did well."

As she went to the fridge to put the rest of the carrots back she looked at the ultrasound printout they'd placed on the door. She put the carrots away and picked the picture up looking at it happily. There it was, photographic proof of the tiny little being growing inside her. It was still hard to believe sometimes that this was all real and they were going to be parents. Nick came up behind her and put his arms around her waist again unable to resist any opportunity to hold her and kiss her.

"I suppose I should put this away until after the party," she said wistfully. They'd decided not to announce the pregnancy straight away thinking they should let everyone get used to the fact they were a couple first.

"Why?" He kissed her ear. "They're all going to know soon enough anyway. There's no reason to hide it." Jenn considered what he said for a few moments. She was beginning to show now so people would probably guess soon anyway. She shrugged then pinned the photo back on the fridge door. She couldn't help grinning. They both gazed at the photo for a minute then Jenn turned in his arms.

"It's hard to believe all this is real isn't it?" He didn't answer her he just gazed at her lovingly and kissed her. "You're not scared at all?" She asked.

"No." He wasn't. He was happier than he'd ever been in his life and he too couldn't quite believe this was all happening. There was a knock at the door and he went to answer it.

"Ah Kathryn come in," he welcomed Jenn's Mum in taking some of her shopping bags from her.

"Only me," she called out to Jenn from the front door and bustled into Nick's kitchen. She placed a large round cake and some flowers on the kitchen counter.

"Aww Mum you didn't need to do this."

"Just a few flowers to brighten up the place and it's not a proper party without a cake. Shame its shop bought but the bakery made it look very nice. I just wish you'd told me sooner then I could have made one for you myself."

"It's gorgeous Mum." Jenn eyed the cake emotionally everything was changing so fast but she couldn't be happier!

Allie wandered up to Nick's front door. The sun was beating down without mercy and she was already sweating even though she'd only just got out of her air-conditioned car. Rhys arrived right behind her and she gave him an acknowledging nod as she knocked on the front door. When he answered the door she thought Nick was dressed a bit formally for a bbq party but then she hadn't ever seen him when he wasn't working so maybe he always wore ironed shirts and suit pants? She looked at Jenn who was dressed casually in a summer skirt and blouse. Nah it was just Nick. Well at least she didn't feel underdressed now. She wandered into the hallway looking around shyly. An elderly couple who she guessed must be Nick's parents were sitting on a leather couch pushed against the wall. Another older woman was with Jenn in the kitchen obviously her mother, Jenn looked just like her only younger.

"Help yourselves to drinks," offered Nick hospitably. "I'm just going to check the barbie," he called out disappearing onto the patio. When he came back in he went over to see if Jenn and her Mum needed any extra help in the kitchen.

"I feel a bit silly just announcing it like this," she whispered to him. "I should have thought about this before. What are we going to say?"

"Don't worry. Let's just wait until everyone gets here OK?" He went to answer the door to Duncan who walked in carrying a large case of beer and Matt arrived not long after him.

"Good I think we're all pretty much here." Nick spoke to Jenn, "Shall we?"

"Yeah lets get it over with," Jenn replied reluctantly.

"We invited you all here today not just so we can all have a good time," she smiled. "But because we have something to tell you." Allie, Rhys and Duncan looked at each other and smirked. They all had a pretty good idea of what they were about to say. Matt sat on the corner of the couch sipping a beer and said nothing.

"So we wanted to tell you ourselves officially that we're together," Nick stated putting his arm around Jenn.

"Yeah tell us something we don't know," quipped Duncan. Nick and Jenn looked a little taken aback and Allie and Rhys laughed.

"You knew?"

"We'd have to be blind not to notice. You weren't hiding it very well lately," he laughed. "And well I happened to see you down by the river on my way back from lunch one day." Jenn blushed feeling embarrassed that they'd been observed during one of their private rendezvous.

"So is this your leaving party then Jenn?" Asked Allie.

"Why do you assume it's me who's leaving," Jenn grinned.

Allie shrugged smiling, "So where you shunting Nick off to then?"

"Ah sorry can't tell you that. It's top secret." Nick joked.

Allie groaned, "You're going with that again! Seriously?"

"Sorry Allie. You know we could tell you but then we'd have to kill you," smirked Jenn. Allie rolled her eyes. "Well if you'd all excuse me a minute," she gave Nick a look and disappeared upstairs.

"Hope lunch is nearly ready I'm starving," Allie mumbled.

"Yeah it smells great," enthused Rhys eyeing the bbq and the food on the table.

"Sorry guys we've got one more thing we need to do before we have lunch." They all looked at Nick but it was obvious that he wasn't going to elaborate so they all milled around the tables talking and salivating over the food.

"Ah that will be our last guest," Nick said going to answer the knock at the door. Allie Rhys and Duncan looked at each other wondering who else had been invited because the whole team was here. _Surely they didn't ask Wolfey, Jarvis or Waverley_ Allie wondered incredulously. She groaned inwardly _that would put a real downer on things_ and turned towards the door to see who it was_._ Darn it _was_ Wolfey and Waverley was behind him. She peered around him to see if Jarvis was there as well. He wasn't.

"Bit late aren't ya Wolfey?" Quipped Duncan.

"On the contrary," Stanley answered in his warm serious voice. "I think you'll find I'm right on time, I'm here in an official capacity today." Allie looked baffled as he winked at Nick.

"You don't mind Mum?" Jenn asked. "I know you wanted to plan a bigger wedding and invite all your friends." Her hair was curled and pushed back behind her left ear with a large white rose with some smaller pink rosebuds around it. Her mother fastened the last of the small buttons on the back of Jenn's dress.

"So long as you're happy that's all that matters Love," she said as she pushed a few last stray strands of Jenn's hair behind the flowers pinned behind her ear. "And I can see you are. It's all over both your faces! And in any case how could I be disappointed? You're finally giving me a grandchild!" Jenn laughed and then looked at herself in the mirror one last time.

"Do I look all right Mum?" She turned to the side to examine her profile and smoothed the fabric over her tummy. "You don't think they'll be able to tell?"

"No. You're so slim you have nothing to worry about! You look beautiful Darling." He mother sighed looking at her proudly. "It's just a pity your sister couldn't make it on such short notice." _Yeah. Never mind_ Jenn thought. Melinda had already used up her holiday time and couldn't get away from work in time. They'd spoken on the phone though and agreed to catch up when she came back down to Melbourne in a couple of month's time. Jenn's Mum handed her the flowers that she'd brought with her tied up with a ribbon. Jenn looked at the small bouquet of lilies, roses, lisianthus and wax flowers and smiled.

"You think of everything Mum. These are beautiful. Thank you!"

"Well no bride should be without a bouquet," she hugged her daughter lovingly, "or a cake!" They chuckled. Jenn looked really beautiful in a simple fitted, cream, calf length dress with some embroidery around the neckline and pearl buttons down the back. "I'll just go and check to see if Nick's ready," she said leaving Jenn standing in front of the mirror staring at herself not quite believing that she was actually going to get married today.

Nick grinned and gave a thumbs up to Kathryn Mapplethorpe who was standing at the top of the stairs.

"OK everyone if you could all gather over here," Nick motioned to the side of the main living room where his parents were sitting on the couch and where they'd placed some chairs. He put on his jacket to which a white rosebud had been pinned by Jenn's Mum and grabbed Duncan,

"Ah mate, would you do me a favour?"

Duncan grinned widely having a fair idea of what was about to happen. "Be my honour mate!"

Stanley's face lit up in a huge fatherly grin as he watched Jenn walk down the stairs with her mother behind her to stand next to Nick. She handed the flowers to her mother and she and Nick faced each other in front of him and he started speaking.

"I am duly authorized by law to solemnize marriage according to law. Before you are joined in marriage in my presence and in the presence of these witnesses, I am to remind you of the solemn and binding nature of the relationship into which you are now about to enter*."

Allie looked around at everyone else, completely perplexed. _This is a wedding?_ _This is completely surreal Wolfey is going to marry Nick and Jenn?_ Was she the only one who thought it was just going to be a party? Everyone else seemed to be completely au fait with it all. She looked over at Rhys. She felt really foolish now that she'd thought not very long ago that she and him might one day be doing what Jenn and Nick were now about to do.

After the short ceremony Nick, Jenn, Stanley, Duncan and Kathryn signed the necessary legal documents while everyone else started to dig into the mound of food Jenn and her Mum had prepared. Matt took the opportunity to pull Duncan aside after he'd signed Nick and Jenn's marriage certificate.

"Duncan did you know?" He asked in a hurt and slightly angry tone of voice. Duncan took a swig out of his beer bottle wishing that Matt could just chill on today of all days.

"Nah they didn't tell me either." Matt felt somewhat better that he hadn't been completely left out of the loop but still shocked that Jenn had just married Nick! He watched them as they looked at each other. It was so obvious how much in love they were he wondered how they'd managed to keep it hidden from everyone for so long. Was he really _that_ blind?

"I mean not just about today but about them?"

"No. Had my suspicions though," he noticed Matt's face and thought he looked a bit crestfallen, "but only pretty recently," he added to reassure him. "They kept it hidden from everyone mate! You're not the only one who didn't know. Would have loved to have seen Waverley's face when they told her!" He chuckled. Matt gave a slight nod and went to get some more food when he saw Nick walking towards them. Allie spied Nick walking over towards Duncan and took her chance to speak to Jenn alone.

"Congratulations Jenn," Allie said sincerely, giving her a slightly awkward hug, "Wow, married huh!" She said taking Jenn's hand shyly and looking at the rings. "I thought that cake looked a bit fancy for a bbq! You gave us all a bit of a surprise. Unless I was the only one who didn't know?"

"No we didn't tell anyone." She squeezed Allie's hand conciliatorily. "I'm sorry if it was a bit of a shock it just sort of all worked out to do it this way." Allie smiled at her and shrugged.

"It's fine. I sort of guessed about you two anyway – not the wedding bit but anyway. I'm happy for you even though its sort of weird knowing you guys are married now," she grinned. "I'm glad you're staying Jenn," her voice betrayed quiet honesty. "It's good to have another woman on the team I didn't want to be the only one!"

"Took the undercover assignment a little too seriously did you mate?" Joked Duncan nudging Nick's shoulder. Nick raised one eyebrow and took a sip from his beer bottle, chuckling but not deigning to answer. Duncan gave him a sly grin and elbowed him playfully. "Nah I'm happy for you. Jenn's a good 'un," he raised his beer bottle in Jenn's direction and caught her eye. She smiled at them and raised her glass. Duncan put his arm around Nick's neck in a mock stranglehold, "Just remember though. You may not be in homicide anymore mate but just you make sure you take care of her or you'll have me and Matty to answer to!" Nick chuckled. He couldn't stop staring at Jenn. She looked even more amazingly beautiful today and he felt a bit guilty that he wished the rest of them would all just leave now so he could enjoy the rest of the afternoon with her alone. He was thankful they didn't actually have any overnight guests tonight.

Jenn and Nick stood by the front door hand in hand seeing Stanley out.  
>"You sure you won't stay?" Offered Jenn slightly disappointed that he was leaving so soon. Stanley smiled warmly at her.<p>

"Not today Jennifer I'm sorry." He said with genuine affection. "I have another commitment to attend to."

"Well thank you for everything! We really appreciate you doing this for us on such short notice." She said.

"It was my pleasure." He leaned forward and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Take good care of each other." Nick shook his hand and they watched as he walked across the road to his car. Bernice left shortly after him as well. Nick put his arm around Jenn and she leaned into him and whispered in his ear,

"Am I absolutely terrible for wishing they'd _all_ just go home now?"

He chuckled and kissed her. "Only if I am too. Hopefully they won't stay too long." He grinned giving her another quick kiss. He couldn't wait to sleep in their new bedroom tonight. She rubbed her thumb across the shiny gold band she'd placed on his finger less than half an hour ago and kissed his hand.

"Well I suppose I should be a good hostess and go back to them all," she sighed reluctantly as he gave her another loving kiss.

Matt watched their exchange from the side of the lounge room where he was swigging his beer. As she headed back out into the lounge room Matt waylaid her.

"You could have told me Jenn," he said sourly. He felt sorry for his tone of voice, he hadn't meant for it to come out like that.

"I did tell you!" She said surprised. "I told _you_ before I told anyone else even Commander Waverley."

"About getting married I mean. You could have told me instead of springing it on all of us like this," he said hurt. He felt really out of sorts and he wasn't sure why. He supposed they reminded him of everything he'd hoped for and lost with Emma. He'd thought that one-day they'd be getting married. Instead it all fell apart and she up and left him for a pay rise and Paris.

"It wasn't just you Matt we didn't tell anyone. I'm sorry if it was a bit of a shock." He didn't want to take out his mood on Jenn and spoil her day so he ended the conversation and left her. He felt like a heel after he'd walked away. He knew he'd probably hurt her feelings and he realised he hadn't even congratulated her. Oh well he'd buy them a really nice present to make up for it and give it to her on Monday.

Duncan noticed their exchange and saw Jenn's downcast look. He came up to her and put his arm around her.

"Don't worry about Matt he'll get over it. He's just a bit over sensitive about everything right now."

"Thanks Dunny," Jenn replied gratefully still smarting over Matt's cold words.

"So," he said picking up her hand to look at the rings, "do I have to call you Mrs Buchanan now?" Jenn laughed.

"Gosh that sounds strange!"

Duncan chuckled and gave her hand a quick kiss. "Better get used to it you can't give him back now," he grinned at Nick who was walking towards them.

"Hey get your hands off my wife Freeman," he jested. Duncan put his hands up in mock surrender as Nick took his empty beer bottle and handed him another.

"So I guess you two won't be up for the pub tonight then?" He laughed and Jenn and Nick gave each other a look. "No more late nights on the tiles from now on then ay?" Duncan grinned at Nick.

"Nah," he put an arm around Jenn and squeezed her, "I'll still be up for a drink now and then. Jenn's not that much of a slave driver!"

"Don't you bet on it," she laughed punching his arm playfully.

Their guests, considerate of their probable desire to be alone didn't stay that late, all finding different excuses to leave them. All of them except Matt, who went home despite playful teasing by Duncan to get him to join them, reconvened in the pub around the corner to discuss the day's events. Jenn's Mum didn't stay very long either. She took Nick's parents home and promised she'd come back at midday tomorrow to help them clean up. Jenn surveyed the lounge room.

"How do such a small number of people make _such_ a mess?" She asked rhetorically.

"Don't worry about it Babe. Your Mum said she'd help us with it tomorrow."

They felt quite drained from socialising all afternoon and decided to make an early night of it and went up to their new bedroom and just stood there and hugged each other enjoying the peaceful moment. Nick took her left hand in his and kissed her fingers admiring the rings he'd put there a few hours previously.

"Well Mrs Buchanan," he said smiling. "What do you want to do now?"

She smirked at him. "What do you think?" She turned around for Nick to unzip her dress for her. He kissed her neck, then her shoulders, slowly working his way down her back as he undid the zipper. She reached her hand around his neck and leaned back against him and he ran his hands sensuously down her body. He worked his hands gently under the fabric of the dress and caressed her bare skin as he pushed the dress away and it pooled around her ankles. He grasped her hips in his hands and kissed her back just above her underwear making her gasp softly. She turned to face him and he kissed her stomach tenderly before he stood up and they kissed languidly.

"I love you," she sighed softly against his mouth while she unbuttoned his shirt.

"I love you too," he hugged her and rocked her gently, "so much Jenn. Thank you." He kissed the curve of her neck where it met her shoulder.

"What for?" She breathed in a rapturous haze, enjoying the feeling of her bare skin against his.

"For making me so happy."

She ran her hands up his back appreciatively. "The feeling is mutual I promise," she murmured against his mouth kissing him adoringly. The rest of their clothes unfurled into a heap on the floor, he picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He carried her to the bed and fell on it taking her with him. She giggled as she landed on top of him, his hands caressing her curves gently as he kissed her.

"Jenn," he whispered. "Oh Jenn, you have no idea how much I love you!" He rolled them over together kissing her passionately.

The orange and gold glow of a beautiful sunset streamed in through the French windows in their bedroom as they lay in bed together chatting. The sparkle from her new rings kept catching her eye as they caught the sunlight and Jenn couldn't help looking at them. Nick picked her hand up, savouring the feel of the smooth metal against his lips. She eyed the pile of their clothes on the floor it was bugging her.

"I should really hang my dress up before it gets ruined." Nick laughed at her as she got out of bed hung her dress in the wardrobe, tidied up his clothes then got back into bed beside him and cuddled up.

"What was it about not folding my undies?" he chuckled and she punched his arm gently.

"I think Matt might be angry with us." Jenn said seriously.

"Why do you think that?" He asked not actually caring too much if Matt really was angry with them. Nick had a feeling that he might have been slightly jealous but he needed to get over himself.

"He hasn't wished us congratulations. When he came over to speak to me all he did was accuse me," she said hurt. "Then he wouldn't say much. I don't think he was having a very good time." She said disappointed.

"Don't worry he'll get over it," Nick said kissing her neck and shoulders. "He'll probably want to talk to you and apologise. Give him time."

"I don't understand why he's so upset. I told him before I even told Waverley." Nick put his arms around her and pulled her back against him kissing her, he sighed.

"I get the feeling he might still hold a flame for you Jenn." There he'd said it. She looked at him in surprise.

"That's ridiculous! We've only ever been friends. I mean he asked me out once but that was years ago and then he was with Emma."

"Well maybe he's just a bit confused. He's probably still hurting _because_ he and Emma broke up." Offered Nick. "I'm sure he'll talk to you just let him do it in his own time." Nick rolled on top of her again kissing her sensuously. He didn't really want to talk about Matt right now he had his mind on other things. She looked at him in surprise, then smiled at him and amorously ran her hands down low on his back.

"Again?" She queried softly. He groaned with desire,

"You inspire me," he breathed. "I love you so much," he murmured against her skin, kissing the curve of her neck where it met her shoulder. "I want you all the time," he ran his arms underneath her back and held her shoulders in his hands and kissed her deeply.

"Nick," she whispered softly. "Nick, I love you."

* * *

><p>* The 'Monitum' - Section 46 (1) Marriage Act 1961<p> 


	23. Confrontations

Nick and Jenn had been given the Monday off as a wedding present by Commander Waverley so they'd enjoyed a long weekend not often venturing much further than their bedroom.

"I wish we didn't have to go back to work tomorrow," sighed Jenn. Nick picked up her hand and kissed it. "And you have to start your new job. It's going to be strange not having you sitting next to me." Nick placed his hand against her stomach caressing it gently. He was going to miss working with her too. She put her hand on top of his smiling. "We can find out in a couple of weeks if it's a boy or a girl if we want."

"I don't want to know. I'll be happy with either. I'm just happy it's here and it helped bring us back together again."

She held his gaze, "That would have happened with or without the baby." She touched his cheek and kissed him tenderly. She kind of liked the idea of leaving the baby's gender a surprise. She held Nick's hand in hers gazing at the gold band around his finger. She liked seeing it there. She loved his hands. They were much larger than hers and so strong, capable of expressing such violence when necessary yet warm, gentle and affectionate towards her whenever he touched her. "I think I might leave it a week or two before I tell them I'm pregnant," she said thinking about how Matt spoke to her at their wedding and hoping he'd cool down a bit after a week or so and she could tell them without him getting upset about it. Nick could tell she had something on her mind and he thought it was probably Matt's behaviour at their wedding. He knew she was still quite upset about it and it made him angry that Matt had been so unnecessarily unpleasant especially as it was directed at Jenn. He didn't think Matt had the guts to confront him directly but if he gave Jenn any more grief Matt was going to know about it from him!

"I suppose we'd better get some sleep then," she sighed and rolled over taking his arm with her. He smiled and cuddled up behind her kissing her neck. She turned her head to him and kissed him softly, "Night. I love you."

"Night Jenn. Love you too!" He was amazed at how much affection he felt for her. He hadn't thought he could love her anymore than he already did but ever since they'd got back together he felt a real yearning for her and never felt content unless she was in his arms.

When Jenn got into work the following morning there was a pile of presents on her desk.

"Aww," she blushed, touched by their consideration, "guys you didn't need to do this."

"Yes we did but there're reparations to be made," grinned Duncan.

"Yeah you owe us all coffees for a week for giving us the surprise of our lives!" Chimed in Allie.

"Well I better get going then," she laughed.

"Aren't you going to open your presents first?" Asked Allie a bit disappointed.

"It's not a birthday party Allie," muttered Rhys.

"Maybe I should get you all coffees first though?" Jenn suggested.

"I'll come with," Allie said jumping up and following her. "Help you carry them."

"I think I can manage four coffees Allie," she laughed.

"Yeah I just feel like a walk," chirped Allie happily. Jenn shrugged and they walked out the door.

"Open mine first," squeaked Allie handing Jenn a small box before she'd even put the tray of coffees down on the desk. "I didn't know what to get you so I thought at least this way you can get something you both want." Jenn smiled as she read the card then gave her a hug,

"Aww that's really sweet! Thanks Allie." The next one she picked up was from Rhys. "Rhys," she took in a deep breath, "how'd you do this?" She asked in awe admiring a small silver photo album filled with photos from their wedding. He'd even had the frame engraved with their names and wedding date.

"iPhone," he said holding up his phone and waggling it about. "I noticed no one was taking any pictures and I thought you'd like some."

"Oh thank you!" Genuinely thrilled she gave him a hug and he blushed shyly in embarrassment.

The last gift was from Duncan who had got them some crystal wine glasses. Jenn raised an eyebrow when she read the card. "From Rachel too?"

"Yeah," he blushed. "She helped me choose it. She wanted to give you both something as well so we decided to get you something together." Jenn smiled knowingly at him and gave him a hug.

"Glad it's going so well," she whispered. She couldn't help noticing that there wasn't anything from Matt not even a card. She felt a bit disappointed but she tried not to care about it.

The rest of Tuesday flew by and was fairly uneventful in the scheme of things. Jenn opened the front door her arms full of the presents the team had given them. She smiled to herself: it still felt a bit strange walking into Nick's house and calling it home even though she hadn't spent the night at her house for more than a month. She called out to Nick but he wasn't home yet. She put the parcels down on the dining table, setting the photo album next to her flowers and walked into the kitchen to see what they could have for dinner. The pregnancy made her feel tired but she felt really exhausted tonight which she figured must be from a full days work plus their wedding and the few days afterward. She smiled to herself as she remembered it: they hadn't exactly got much sleep!

Nick walked up behind her as she stood at the stove and put his arms around her waist making her jump. She laughed,

"I'm sorry I was miles away." He kissed her cheek and held her for a few minutes savouring the atmosphere of domestic bliss.

"I love walking in the door and finding you here," he murmured against her ear. She smiled and leaned back against him, the feeling was entirely mutual. "What's for tea?" He asked sniffing at the stove.

"I hope you don't mind just chicken and veggies," she said. "I was too tired to do anything fancy with it."

"It smells great!" He enthused. He was starving. It was so nice to come home and have dinner half made that he wouldn't have cared what it was.

"How was your first day?"

"Good." She turned to him and he gave her a look _you know I want to tell you but I can't those are the rules. _She nodded in understanding. "I hate not being able to talk to you about this as much as you do," he said quietly, kissing behind her ear. Six months in counter terrorism and not working with Jenn was going to be hard!

"Have a look at all the lovely presents the guys got us," she motioned towards the dining table. "Rhys made us an album." He went over to take a look.

"Oh I got those papers from the bank for you to sign," he called out as he admired the presents they'd been given. His eyes widened a bit and he grinned when he read Duncan's card. "From Rachel too!"

"Mmm," she smirked conspiratorially.

Jenn was half asleep by the time they'd finished eating so Nick offered to do all the cleaning up so she could go to bed. He'd just finished putting the plates away when he heard a knock on the door. He opened it to find Matt standing there. He looked at Nick sheepishly and held out a gift-wrapped box and a bottle of wine.

"I wanted to give this to Jenn earlier today but I've been in meetings all day." Nick wasn't thrilled to see him on his doorstep but he wasn't going to be rude to him especially as he was trying to make amends so he invited him in. Matt reddened wishing it had been Jenn who answered the door. He walked into the lounge room and looked around noticing how quiet it was. The flowers from the wedding were still in vases all around the room. Jenn's bouquet was in a large vase in the centre of the dining table and a picture album stood on its end displaying a framed photo of the two of them.

"Where's Jenn?" he asked.

"She's asleep." Nick replied as though it was the most normal thing in the world to be asleep at not quite eight o clock. Matt wasn't sure he believed Nick. He didn't understand why Jenn would be asleep at this time of the evening and figured maybe she'd gone out or just didn't want to see him and Nick just didn't want to say so.

"Oh. Well I called by to apologise to you both but mostly to Jenn. I know I wasn't very good company at your wedding." Nick eyed him as he shifted uncomfortably on his feet. "Emma called last week and it's stirred up a lot of old feelings. I know that's no excuse but I suppose I just haven't handled it very well. Anyway congratulations to you both," he said handing the gift and the wine to Nick. Nick thanked him and put them on the kitchen counter.

"Well I know Jenn would really appreciate hearing that from you. You hurt her feelings you know. Maybe you could tell her yourself tomorrow _at work_," suggested Nick. He still didn't really have a lot of time for Matt but his heart was somewhat softened by his apology and he wanted to be hospitable so he offered him a beer. They took them out on to the patio where the last of the afternoon sun was disappearing behind Nick's neighbour's wall.

"Jenn's really asleep?" Queried Matt uncertainly.

Nick smirked, "Yeah. What did you think? She'd run out on me already?" Matt smirked and tried to make a joke out of it.

"Something like that." Nick shook his head deciding to take it lightly but he knew what Matt was really thinking. Matt only stayed long enough to finish his beer then politely excused himself. After he'd gone Nick stood in the empty house wondering what to do with himself. He couldn't really work on the baby's room because he didn't want to disturb Jenn. He could watch some TV but in the end he decided to have an early night too. He climbed the stairs, got into bed and curled up behind Jenn. She sighed and cuddled into him.

"Who was at the door?" she mumbled. Nick kissed her shoulder.

"I'm sorry if we woke you. It was just Matt coming to apologise for being a jerk at the wedding. He gave us a present and we had a beer but I told him to tell you in person tomorrow at work." She smiled sleepily and turned over and kissed his lips softly then laid her head against his chest and went back to sleep. Nick lay there cuddling her and thinking before he also fell asleep.

The next couple of weeks went by with no particularly unusual cases. It was Friday morning and as she stirred her tea Jenn felt incredibly grateful it was nearly the weekend and it was looking like she wouldn't be on call out. As she walked out of the break room she was nearly bowled over by Bernice Waverley.

"Ah Detective Mapplethorpe I wanted to talk to you actually. Walk with me. I really do need your maternity leave application form so I can get it processed."

"No problem Ma'am I'll give it to Sergeant Ryan this morning." As soon as she got back to her desk she filled in the form and prepared herself to go and speak to Matt but he wasn't in his office when she knocked on the door. She could have left the form on his desk but she wanted to talk to him first rather than letting him find out by reading the form. She waited patiently at her desk for him to come back and finally she spied him walking briskly towards his office.

"Matt," she called out. He was late again for his weekly meeting with Commander Waverley and he thought that whatever Jenn had to say could probably wait.

"Sorry Jenn can't talk now." He grabbed some papers and rushed out again without looking back at her. _Oh well_ she thought. I'll give it to him when he comes back. He'll take it better if he's not in a rush.

Commander Waverley held out her hand in Sergeant Ryan's direction as she sorted through a pile of other papers on her desk, "If you've got Detective Mapplethorpe's application for maternity leave handy I'll take it now," she said in a matter of fact tone. "I'd like to start getting it processed." A cold frisson of disbelief passed through his body. Jenn was pregnant? Sudden anger took over as he realised that yet again there was something a senior officer knew about his team that he didn't and he was shown up again.

"She hasn't given it to me yet Ma'am but I'll chase that up when I get back down to my desk," he stated.

"Well make sure that you get it to me today I have to organise the staff rosters and I'm going to need to find a temporary replacement for both her and Detective Buchanan.

"Yes Ma'am. Will do." He said and walked out of her office and back down to his own. By the time he got there he was steaming!

"Detective Mapplethorpe. In my office," he commanded briskly. Duncan, Rhys and Allie looked up wondering what Jenn was in trouble for. Duncan made a face at them _what's that about then_ and Rhys and Allie shrugged as Jenn got up and followed Matt into his office.

"Close the door," Matt said to her sternly. "Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant? Instead I have to hear it from Commander Waverley. I'm your Senior Sergeant I had a right to know!" He seethed. Jenn looked at him incredulously. She was taken aback by his tone as well as hurt and annoyed.

"No you didn't! I don't _actually_ **have** to tell anyone at work as you should well know since you're the Sergeant here but I told Commander Waverley out of courtesy. I _was_ going to tell you too earlier this morning but you were too busy to speak with me. I'm sorry you had to hear it from Commander Waverley first but if you hadn't been so unpleasant to me at our wedding I would have told you earlier." Matt knew she was right but he was angry because he felt undermined in his position by his team yet again and he didn't want to concede the point.

"It all makes sense now: The secrecy, the sudden wedding. That's why you married him isn't it?" Jenn couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"I can't believe you just said that," she murmured deeply hurt. "You are way out of line Sergeant!" She replied sharply. "You know I could report you for saying that but I won't because we used to be friends!" Matt was sulking at his desk and she was sick of it. She shouldn't have to put up with taking the brunt of his moods! "I have no idea what you problem is," she stated, "but I didn't intend to show you up. Nick and I are married and we're going to have a baby so you better get used to it and stop acting like a sulky child because if _you ever_ speak to me like that again I _will_ report you!" She handed him her application for maternity leave and left his office shutting the door behind her.

Duncan had been keeping an eye on Matt's office from his desk and he could tell Jenn was upset when she left and he was concerned. "Hey Jenn what was that all about," asked Duncan.

"Ah nothing. Matt's just in one of his moods again. I've just given him my maternity leave application."

"You're pregnant?" grinned Duncan.

"Yeah," she nodded smiling.

"Congratulations!" He said genuinely happy for her and gave her a hug.

"I'm sorry. This isn't how I planned to tell you all. I just wanted to tell Matt first but unfortunately he found out from Waverley before I could tell him." She wiped a tear off her face. Pregnancy was making her so overtly emotional and it was embarrassing. Duncan squeezed her shoulder.

"Ah ignore him Jenn. He's being an arse hole lately! Hey guys," he yelled to Rhys and Allie. "Guess what? Our Jenn's got a little Buchanan in the oven!" Jenn rolled her eyes. Rhys and Allie came up to them.

"I knew it!" Squealed Allie. She looked at Duncan in triumph, "Didn't I tell you Jenn was knocked up?" Duncan blushed wishing Allie wouldn't be quite so blatant. He looked at Jenn apologetically but she just shrugged. She felt relieved actually that everything was now all out in the open and she and Nick could just be like any other normal couple who were going to have a baby.

"Ah Jenn, we only just bought you wedding presents now we have to get baby gifts too? You're sending us broke!" Joked Rhys.

"Coffees all round," cheered Duncan. "I'll go and get them."

"Tea for me please," said Jenn. Duncan wanted to get her out of the office to take her mind off her confrontation with Matt.

"Jenn," he wheeled her around with him. "You're coming with me."

Duncan waited until later in the day when Jenn was out of the office on an assignment to confront Matt. He stormed into Matt's office without knocking.

"Why are you giving Jenn such a hard time?" He demanded angrily.

"That's none of your business _Senior Constable_," replied Matt looking up from his desk annoyed at the interruption.

"It is when you make her cry!" Duncan replied irritated with Matt's attitude. "You're supposed to be her friend."

"She embarrassed me in front of Waverley _again_," said Matt stubbornly. "I had to learn it from _her_ that Jenn is pregnant!"

"Listen mate you need to stop taking out your insecurities on the team. Lighten up or none of us here will do very well! And lay off Jenn OK she doesn't deserve it?"

"Anything else _Detective_?" Matt asked in a disgruntled tone of voice.

"Yeah," replied Duncan boldly. He knew that things had been a bit tough on Matt lately and they could have all been a little bit more supportive of him maybe but Matt wasn't doing himself any favours with his attitude and behaviour. "I don't know what you said to her but you owe her an apology and you should do it soon!"

"Right. Is that all?" Matt dismissed him.

"Serg." Duncan replied standing to attention before he left the room. Matt was being a real prick lately and he didn't like it.

"You ready Jenn?" Duncan asked. They were all going to meet Nick and Rachel at a pub down the road for drinks. Rhys and Allie still hadn't come back from the field so he assumed they'd meet them there.

"You know Dunny," Jenn said embarrassed, "I'm really sorry but I don't feel like going out tonight. You guys have a catch up without me and I'll go next time."

"Does this have anything to do with what happened with Matt this morning because you should just ignore him Jenn he's being a prick!"

"It's not that," she reassured him. Well it sort of was, she really didn't want to socialise with Matt at the moment but she wasn't going to admit that to Duncan. "I'm just really tired tonight and not really in the mood. I promise I'll go next time."

"Well OK," Duncan replied disappointed. "But I'll be holding you to next time all right?" He winked at her. Jenn gave him a beaming smile as he walked away towards the lift. As she followed behind him she dialled Nick's mobile.

Duncan greeted Rachel at the bar and they walked over to where Nick was sitting.

"I hear congratulations are in order," Duncan slapped Nick on the back. "Don't waste any time do you mate?" He laughed as he ordered them a couple of beers. He thought Nick didn't look as happy as usual and Duncan figured he must have spoken to Jenn. "They're going to have a baby," he explained to Rachel. She looked a bit surprised but offered her congratulations. "How's the new job?" He asked.

"Yeah not bad." Nick grinned. "You know I can't talk about it," he said cocking his head on one side as he took a swig of beer. He gave Rachel an apologetic look and spoke in a low tone of voice to Duncan. "Jenn sounded a bit upset on the phone but she wouldn't elaborate. She said she'd tell me when I got home. What happened today Dunny?" Duncan figured there was no point trying to hide the truth.

"Ahh Matt had a go at her because he found out from Waverley she was pregnant before Jenn told him." Nick's eyes narrowed as the rage started to boil inside him. He'd had quite enough of Matt's sour attitude. Duncan tried to calm him down. "Don't worry I had a word to him about it when Jenn was out of the office," he assured him. At that moment Duncan noticed Matt walk into the bar. _Shit _he freaked. He'd forgotten he'd asked Matt along too before all of this had blown up. _Ah nothing I can do about it now_. This wasn't going to be pretty. He prepared himself to do damage control though at this point he would rather have thrown Ryan to the wolves. Nick looked up from his beer and saw Matt walking towards them.

"You have a nerve Ryan," Nick confronted him angrily.

Having been taken by surprise Matt reacted defensively. "Watch your mouth Buchanan. I'm a senior officer."

"You aren't _my_ senior officer," spat Nick and drew himself up to his full height directly in front of Matt. "Where do you get off picking on Jenn?" Matt had already had a drink in his office before he came to join them in the pub and caught off his guard he wasn't thinking straight.

"Oh come on!" The alcohol in his system loosened his tongue making him less cautious, "I know she married you because you got her pregnant." That was it. Nick exploded and before he knew it Matt was up against the wall of the bar. He flinched as Nick's fist came within a centimetre of his face.

"You don't know anything you self assured little prick!" Spat Nick, his face right up against Matt's. Rachel jumped back to the side behind Duncan, speechless and looking really shocked.

"Nick," Duncan cajoled trying to pull him away from Matt gently. "Leave him. This won't help mate." Matt sweated. Nick was actually a little taller than he was and he was really angry now! Matt didn't really want to fight with him.

"I oughta knock your block off for speaking about her like that. You count yourself lucky. It's only because of her that I won't!"

"All right. All right. Take it outside fella's," the bar tender said nervously. Two large security guys came up and stood next to them. Nick let go of Matt in a disgusted manner and threw his hands up in the air.

"It's OK. We're finished here anyway." He turned back to Matt, "You better bloody apologise to Jenn!" Nick walked away angrily towards the door. Duncan followed him.

"I'm sorry Dunny," Nick apologised. "Please convey my apologies to Rachel. I think I'll go home. I'm not really in the mood now and I should probably make sure Jenn's OK. I'll talk to her, we'll have you and Rachel over to ours OK?"

"Sure thing mate." Duncan slapped Nick on the back as he walked out of the bar. He wasn't really in the mood to stay now either but he stayed behind to try and talk some sense into Matt. He went over and whispered something to Rachel and kissed her ear. "Won't be long, promise," he said as he left her with her drink at the end of the bar and went and sat down on the stool next to Matt.

"Well you really know how to liven up a Friday night!" He said sardonically.

"Buchanan's such a pompous bastard," Matt seethed wiping the spit off his face.

"Hey don't whinge to me," Duncan said disgusted. "You were way out of line! And you're lucky Nick has better control than me mate because if you'd said that to me I _would_ have hit you! Here's a bit of free advice. Apologise to both of them and get over yourself!" Duncan got up and went back to Rachel leaving Matt on his own at the bar.

"Yeah I'm sorry about that Babe just some trouble about work." He kissed her and whispered in her ear as softly as the noise in the bar would allow, "I know this really nice little Thai place not far from her. You wanna go?" She smiled at him and linked her arm through his.

"Lead the way!"

Rhys and Allie entered the bar as Duncan and Rachel were leaving.

"What's up?" Queried Allie, "Why are you leaving?"

"Nick and Matt had a bit of a blue. I'd leave him alone for a while if I were you." They took one look at Matt sitting by himself at the bar and decided to find somewhere else for an after work drink. They looked at each other and turned around and followed Duncan and Rachel out of the door.

* * *

><p>AN: Don't worry it's not over yet. I'm going to give Matt a chance to redeem himself (as much as he can anyway).<p> 


	24. Apology

Disclaimer: I do not own City Homicide or it's characters (unfortunately)

This is pure fiction any likeness to real people or events, strange but purely coincidental.

* * *

><p>Duncan and Rachel obviously had plans that would have made Rhys and Allie feel like the spare wheel so that left them standing on the street outside the bar by themselves. They'd only just got off work and it was a Friday. Rhys didn't want to go home but he wasn't sure Allie would be up for a night out with him.<p>

"Gee pity we missed that," giggled Allie. "I'd love to see Nick take on Matt!"

"Yeah," chuckled Rhys. "I gather Matt didn't come off too good judging by the look on his face. Um wanna go to Platform One?" He suggested hesitantly. Allie observed him critically for a moment. Maybe it was about time she called a truce; it was tiring being angry with him all the time and they used to have a lot of fun together. She started walking with the expectation he'd follow her.

"Don't think this means I've forgiven you Oxford," she elbowed him.

"Wouldn't dream of it," jibed Rhys grinning slyly.

* * *

><p>Matt held the beer glass on the bar with both hands; he knew he'd made a fool out of himself. He didn't know quite why he was just so angry with Jenn. He knew she probably hadn't deliberately gone behind his back to Waverley she just wasn't like that. He thought that they'd probably taken their under cover assignment too seriously and then got married when Jenn found out she was pregnant but whatever her relationship with Nick was he shouldn't have opened his big mouth and said anything about it. Everything was just all going to crap. He felt abandoned by his friends and constantly pressured to get results by his superiors and get them quickly and his team seemed to constantly undermine and question his decisions. He was afraid he just wasn't cutting it as a Sergeant but he couldn't give up. It was going to be completely humiliating to have to apologise especially to Buchanan. He didn't like Nick but he knew he was going to have to apologise to both him and Jenn if the team was to work effectively together. They were or would be all eventually be working on the same team so they all needed to at least respect each other even if they weren't the best of friends.<p>

* * *

><p>When Nick got home he found Jenn curled up on the couch with pillows watching TV. He sat down beside her. He was home a lot earlier than she imagined he would be if he'd been having drinks with Dunny and the crew. She didn't think that boded well.<p>

"You're home early," she stated.

"Dunny told me what happened with Matt." Jenn sighed. She knew then that if Nick had encountered Matt there had probably been an argument.

"You confronted him?" He nodded.

"Don't worry I didn't hurt him," he assured her. "For now," he muttered under his breath.

"Oh Nick," She sighed.

"Jenn I couldn't let him get away with talking about you like that!" She nodded.

"I know. He was way out of line." She moved over to rest her head against his shoulder, he put his arm around her and she took his hand. "I don't understand why he's being so nasty. I know he feels pressured at work to get results but that's no excuse to take it out on me!" Irritated she swiped at tears running down her cheeks. "I'm sorry I'm over emotional these days." He touched her cheek lovingly hating to see her upset. "He used to be my friend. How could he think so little of me? Of you?" Nick sniffed. He had no illusions as to why Matt had said what he did. "It's not that I care what he thinks really but it hurt because it's not true!" Nick hugged her wiping tears from the corners of her eyes and he kissed her gently. "I love you Nick! Even without the baby I would have married you anyway we just probably would have waited a bit longer. I love you," she kissed him softly.

He took her face in his hands and kissed her. "Matt's jealous and he doesn't like me either that's why he's being obnoxious. He doesn't want to pick a fight with me so he's taking it out on you." The simmering anger within him started to boil and rise to the surface again as he thought about what Matt had said. Jenn remembered the night Matt had called very late at her house interrupting her and Nick. He'd had a bottle of wine in his hand. At the time she'd noticed and raised her eyebrow slightly but she'd brushed it off dismissing the idea that Matt could have had salacious intentions. But since then she'd started to think about that night and she wondered what Matt's intentions actually had been. If he just wanted to talk why come by so late at night and why bring a bottle of wine? Did he think they would talk and drink wine and then she'd sleep with him? Did he think she was that easy? It made her feel very uncomfortable.

Suddenly Jenn gave a gasp and grabbed Nick's hand.

"What? What is it?" He asked worried, his anger over Matt temporarily forgotten.

"I felt the baby move," she said in amazement. "There. There. Did you feel it?" She pressed his hand against her stomach excitedly and a huge grin broke out on his face. He could feel tiny little taps on his hand and then a sudden thump.

"Wowa he's a real little fighter," stated Nick impressed. Jenn laughed

"What makes you think it's a boy? Girls can kick just as hard!" She chuckled.

"I don't know. I think it's a he but I guess we'll find out in five months won't we?" He teased and pushed her over so she was lying on her back on the couch, he supported his body on his elbows above her and started nibbling at her neck.

"Nick, Nick stop that tickles," she giggled making a mock attempt to push him away. He scooped her up in his arms and manoeuvred onto his side holding her close against him.

"You are so beautiful," he murmured as he kissed her adoringly, "I love you."

She held his face in her hand as she kissed him back. "Nick," she spoke softly, "take me to bed."

* * *

><p>Rhys and Allie's night didn't end until 5am. They'd had a good time together and were regaining some of their old friendship. Rhys walked her back to her place and Allie started to feel uneasy. They'd had fun but she wasn't willing to take it any further than that, if in fact that was what Rhys had on his mind.<p>

"Well night then," he said slightly awkwardly wondering if he should hug her or if that was going too far. He decided not to push it, they'd had fun tonight and it was a good start towards gaining some common ground back. He felt the pull of attraction towards her but he knew that it was probably more than that for Allie and he wasn't willing to risk her feelings again just to scratch an itch. Even though it had been tempered by irritation at her constant jibes he had felt bad about hurting her. He'd only intended on a casual affair between them but he'd discovered to his detriment that she'd actually wanted more than he was wiling to give at that point.

"Yeah night," she replied and closed the door of her building behind her. Being his friend may not be such a bad thing she needed to forget about what happened between them and move forward. There were plenty of other guys out there. At the moment though she was happy with her life and her routine, she didn't want another relationship.

* * *

><p>Jenn and Nick invited Duncan and Rachel over for dinner the following week. Jenn rushed around after work getting everything ready for them. She was feeling slightly uneasy about seeing Rachel and meeting her properly. She knew she was being really silly but she couldn't get the picture out of her mind of her kissing Nick. Nick came up behind her and kissed her neck. He knew that something was bothering her.<p>

"You're very quiet. What's up?" She sighed and turned around to face him, she stared at her hands, which she placed gently on his chest

"I'm just feeling anxious about meeting Rachel." She felt the heat rise up her neck as she blushed. "I know I'm being silly but I saw you with her." She felt like a guilty person blurting out her confession. "I came by to tell you I was pregnant and I saw you standing on the doorstep kissing her." Nick gasped quietly and hugged her, no wonder she'd been so upset the following day.

"Baby I didn't know. I'm so sorry Jenn. She kissed me but nothing else happened!" Jenn nodded and wiped her eyes. "I never had any feelings for her I barely knew her. She kept asking me for a drink and I finally gave in, it was the night after you told me we couldn't be together."

"I know," she said softly, she traced patterns on his chest with her finger. "I don't know why I'm being so silly. It was probably a good thing I saw you together anyway it brought me to my senses. I regretted ending it between us I just didn't know how to fix it." She kissed him gently and shook her head, "It doesn't matter anymore." Nick wiped the tears away with his thumb, caressing her face gently and leaned in to kiss her tenderly.

"I love you Jenn. I always have ever since I met you. You're the only one I've ever wanted to spend my life with," he spanned his hands over the rise of her tummy gently, "have kids with. What we have, being married to you, it's a dream come true for me." They looked deeply into each other's eyes and he enclosed her in his arms their faces almost touching, "I love you," he mouthed kissing her, "I love you." She touched his face and they kissed again and held each other for a few minutes before Jenn reluctantly broke their peaceful embrace.

"I better finish making the dinner or we'll have nothing to feed them when they get here."

Duncan surveyed the lounge room. The place hadn't changed much since Jenn had moved in there were only a few small differences; A large cream throw rug covered part of Nick's brown leather sofa and there were some large, soft cushions scattered on it that gave it a more feminine touch. Some of Nick's extra chairs had gone and a few photo frames containing landscape and bird photographs Nick had taken and some of the pictures that Rhys took at their wedding decorated the shelves. All Nick's work benches, paints, bottles of turps and other chemicals that made Jenn feel sick had been moved into the garage so the lounge had a generally tidier feel to it.

"That was top notch Jenn. You're a great cook." Duncan praised leaning back in his chair and putting his arm around the back of Rachel's. Rachel looked very beautiful with her hair done up in an elaborate bun on the top of her head that made her ever so slightly taller than Duncan when she was standing. Jenn and Nick smiled to each other noticing how Duncan could hardly keep his eyes off her.

Jenn got up and started to clear the plates. Rachel followed after her collecting cutlery and plates and bringing them into the kitchen with her.

"Thanks," Jenn smiled at her as she loaded the dishwasher. Rachel looked nervous and Jenn could tell she had something on her mind. Rachel blushed profusely and spoke quietly not want the men to hear what she was saying.

"Jenn I want to apologise. When I asked Nick for a drink I really had no idea he was seeing anyone. I wouldn't have ever asked him if I'd known. I'm not a home wrecker!" Jenn almost laughed but she managed to keep her face straight.

"It's OK Rachel you don't need to apologise! When you asked him for a drink we were broken up for a few weeks. Anyway everything worked out for the best wouldn't you say?" She eyed Duncan sitting comfortably on the couch talking with Nick. Dunny looked happier than she'd seen him in a very long time. Not since Clair was alive in fact. She smirked at Rachel. "He really likes you, you know."

"Yeah," she smiled shyly. "He's a good man. He's a real gentleman and he likes to take care of me." She blushed again. "Plus I kind of like the fact he's a cop it makes me feel safe." Jenn couldn't help chuckling over that. Nick and Duncan looked up from their conversation and eyed them warily.

"Always a worry when women get talking," Duncan said nervously. Nick looked over at Jenn and Rachel. Jenn smiled at him and he noticed how Rachel was looking at Duncan.

"I don't think you have anything to worry about," he grinned at Duncan.

"So. Dessert?" Jenn asked holding up a large black forest cake. The evening didn't end late. Duncan and Rachel made their excuses not long after dessert because they could see that Jenn was fading. Nick put his arm around her as they were waving goodbye to them.

"Let's not worry about cleaning up tonight we'll do it tomorrow OK?" Jenn yawned and nodded.

* * *

><p>Nick got out of the shower on Monday morning and walked back into the bedroom. His eyes widened: Jenn had pulled out all her clothes from the wardrobe and was wandering around in her underwear searching through them.<p>

"What are you doing?" He eyed the various articles of clothing strewn about the room.

She made a frustrated sound. "All my clothes are too tight now. I can't find a pair of pants that I can do up comfortably and all my baggy tops are too daggy to wear to work."

"What about what you were wearing on Friday?" Suggested Nick. Jenn cocked her head at him.

"I forgot to wash them in time so now I have nothing to wear." Nick tried not to laugh. "This is ridiculous I'm going to have to get some maternity clothes." He watched her admiringly, he'd be quite happy for her to wander about with as little on as possible. He gazed at her rear appreciatively when she bent down to pick a shirt up off the floor. _Jenn you kill me!_ He wandered up behind her letting his towel drop to the floor and put his arms around her waist running his hands amorously over her chest and stomach.

"Yeah 'spose you should," he nibbled her ear making her sigh, "but I'd be perfectly happy for you to walk around here naked."

She reached back and put her arms around his neck leaning in to him and laughing softly, "That's hardly practical though is it?" He ran his hands down low on her stomach inching them under the band of her underwear pulling at it. "Nick stop it," she giggled quietly.

"You're so beautiful," he mouthed against her neck. "I love you," he whispered. She turned and they kissed gently.

She caressed his back lightly, "Love you too," and pressed her cheek against his enjoying the smoothness of it and the smell of his aftershave. "You smell nice," she muttered as he started placing kisses down her neck. She could feel him becoming even more amorous as he undid her bra and managed to remove it. She pushed him away gently, "Nick I'll be late," she said with a soft sigh as he held her even more tightly, pressing himself against her body. "You're insatiable," she laughed softly, groaning pleasurably and wrapping her legs around his waist as he picked her up.

"I can't help it Jenn," he murmured running his hand down her back and over her hips, caressing her bottom and kissing her passionately, "you turn me on." He swiped the clothes off the bed, "we'll be quick," and pulled her onto it with him. She moaned his name softly, her resistance and awareness of time fading as she lost herself in his affection.

* * *

><p>"You're late Mapplethorpe!" Jarvis barked grinning behind his hand.<p>

"Sir." Jenn blushed. She looked at her watch it had only just turned nine. It was just her luck that Matt had called a team meeting first thing with no warning or no one would have noticed she was running a couple of minutes late! Duncan smirked at her and muttered something about newlyweds under his breath to Rhys who chuckled. She could feel her face turning crimson knowing what they'd all be thinking. She sat down next to Allie and tried to ignore them and concentrate on the meeting. Matt started running through their current cases when DSS Wolfe walked in with Commander Waverley behind him. They spoke with Matt and Jarvis in quiet tones for a few moments then Matt spoke up and addressed the team.

"OK we have a new case. A young child found dead in a car. The evidence so far suggests it was the father who was responsible. He and the child's mother are separated. This is going to be high profile due to the nature of the crime and it's probably going to be quite hard on all of us because a child is involved but we all need to pull together and put up a strong front because we're going to be under heavy scrutiny by the media on this one!" Waverley stood to the side with her lips pursed. She was tensed up ready to defend the police investigation from the inevitable criticism she knew was coming. "Duncan, Allie go and interview the parents but be discreet please no talking to the press!"

Duncan eyed him, "You don't need to tell us that Serg.," he grinned.

"Rhys take Senior Constable Croft with you and survey the crime scene."

"Jenn I want you to run background checks and liaise with child protection. Find out all you can about this family. OK everyone this is your first priority lets get to it!" They all stood up and started filing out of the room to get on with their assignments.

"Detective Mapplethorpe can I see you in my office please?" Matt commanded. Jenn clutched her folders to her chest and raised her eyes at him. She mentally prepared herself as she walked out of the room in case he was going to have a go at her about being late. Jarvis grabbed Matt by the elbow.

"Go easy on her she only got married a few weeks ago," he winked. Matt grunted bristling at the suggestion Jenn was late because she and Nick had been getting it on. He headed off to his office trying to psych himself up to apologise to her. She entered his office and shut the door. He observed her critically; There was a fullness to her face these days and the tight shirt she was wearing accentuated the roundness of her breasts which were noticeably much larger. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and tried not to stare.

"Sit down," he smiled uneasily trying to sound friendly. Rather than skirting the issue he decided it was better not to put off the inevitable and just come right out and say it. He sighed and looked down at his hands fiddling with them nervously. "Look Jenn I'm really sorry that I haven't been very easy to get along with lately." She raised an eyebrow she wasn't going to let him off easily she didn't think he deserved it.

"That's an understatement! You've been downright mean." He looked at her and saw the hurt in her eyes. He stared down at his hands.

"I'm sorry Jenn. I know what I said was out of line," he said quietly. There wasn't really anything else he could say.

"Why'd you say it Matt?" She allowed the hurt to filter through her voice. "You think I would get married for any reason other than love?" She asked rhetorically. "You know I'm not like that," she affirmed gently.

"Yeah I know." He said with quiet reluctance. She eyed him critically realising in that moment that things weren't the same between them anymore and they never would be even without the hurtful words he'd said. She really wondered if they knew each other at all. Their friendship was fundamentally changed even purely by the fact that he was now her superior officer.

"I hope we can still be friends but you realise it's not the same anymore." He nodded. "I forgive you but I don't think I can forget the things you said to me or to Nick," she said with slight sadness.

As she stood up to leave her blouse shifted and he noticed red marks on her neck just above her clavicle and the roundness of her stomach as her shirt stretched tightly across it. It was a visible reminder of Nick Buchanan and it made him sweat. Joking aside he realised the others were probably right it was so bloody obvious why she was late. He swallowed.

"Jenn don't make a habit of being late," he said curtly.

* * *

><p>The day went by without much further incident. The father of the child found in the car had been arrested and Jenn thought that Matt did seem to be making an effort to be more pleasant but then the crew all appeared to be trying to get along better with him too trying not to question his decisions so much and be more supportive. Nick swung by at six thirty to pick Jenn up so they could go clothes shopping for her. Shopping was not something he really savoured doing but he knew Jenn liked to have his company and preferred not to have to do it by herself. He thought he'd take her out to dinner afterwards. He smiled widely; it would be the first time he got to take her out to dinner as his wife. He walked up behind her and kneaded her shoulder lightly.<p>

"Ready to go?"

She gave him a beaming smile. "Yep," she said tidying up a few papers and switching her computer off. Duncan, Allie and Rhys had already left and Jenn was the only one in the office. Nick looked around briefly to check no one was watching and bent down to gave her a kiss.

"I missed you," he murmured. She caressed his cheek lightly and kissed him back.

"How was your day?"

"Yeah you know the usual: couple of drug overdoses, a stabbing, dead kid in a car – that one was pretty horrible," she said her voice drifting off a bit.

"Well come on. I'll take you mind of it." He kissed her again placing his hand protectively across her stomach.

Matt started to walk out of his office. He stopped when he saw Nick and Jenn and ducked back into his office for a moment so they wouldn't know they'd been seen. When he came back out they were standing in front of the lift. He stood in his doorway not wanting to feel the awkwardness of waiting next to them. He knew he shouldn't but he couldn't help watching them. They were standing so close together you couldn't see any light between them. Her hand sought his as they stood waiting and they laced fingers. Jenn rested her head against his shoulder and his head inclined towards hers affectionately. He must have said something amusing to her because she laughed and tapped his nose playfully as he put his arm around her and they shared a brief kiss just before the lift door opened. Matt sighed. He wasn't sure why it got under his skin so much to see them together. Jenn was his friend he should be happy for her she deserved it. It was just that he didn't see how she could have found that happiness with Nick Buchanan. He figured he'd get used to it, they wouldn't be working together on the team for a while yet anyway so he wouldn't have to see them together since Nick was seconded and then Jenn would be on maternity leave. She may have married Nick but Matt wondered just how long it was going to last.


	25. Nearly Five Months Later

Hope I didn't over do the pregnancy stuff in this one. It's fairly fresh in my mind because I had a baby not that long ago LOL. One last little bit after this to finish it off then I'm calling it quits for this story. Sequel is not necessarily ruled out but I'll have to wait to see what inspiration comes to me.

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><p>Disclaimer: I do not own City Homicide or it's characters (unfortunately)<p>

This is pure fiction any likeness to real people or events, strange but purely coincidental.

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><p>"I don't think I can move," Jenn groaned holding her swollen belly and trying to turn over towards the edge of the bed. She was already nearly a week past her due date and she felt grumpy and uncomfortable and she wasn't sleeping well because the baby kept her awake at night. There were so many pillows in the bed now that Nick had hardly any room to sleep. She clutched at her ribs gasping, "Ooh your child takes great pleasure in kicking me in the ribs." Nick looked at her sympathetically.<p>

"It's not long now Jenn," he kissed her gently. He was feeling reasonably calm about the impending event. The nursery was ready, the car seat was already installed in the car and he'd figured out how to fold the pram and fit it in the back of the car. He was really excited actually though he didn't enjoy seeing Jenn so uncomfortable.

"Can you help me?" She asked. She hated being so pathetic but she felt like a beached whale. He chuckled and took her hands to help her stand up. "I can't even see my feet any more," she moaned feeling around trying to find her slippers. She couldn't see anything below her stomach and forget about putting shoes on unless she could manage to push her feet into them so Nick had to help her do that as well. She knew she looked huge and she felt frumpy because most of her clothes didn't really cover the bump well enough. Nick put his arms around her and hugged her gently. He thought she was the most beautiful thing in the world, her face round and rosy from carrying their child. Jenn had an enviable, athletic build when she wasn't pregnant which he loved but he couldn't deny that he was enjoying the voluptuous curves she had now. Until the last few weeks when she'd been too tired they'd still managed to enjoy a very healthy sex life throughout her pregnancy having fun finding different positions where the bump didn't get in the way. In fact much to Nick's delight Jenn seemed to enjoy sex and want it even more than she had before.

"You're the best Jenn." He kissed her and she leaned against him and closed her eyes. He rubbed her back gently and she sighed in pleasure.

"Mmm could you rub a bit lower? I'm sorry I'm being such a sook but my back is really hurting today I must have slept funny. I just want this baby out of me!" He gazed at her lovingly and stroked her cheek.

"I'm sorry you feel so uncomfortable." She shook her head and leaned back into his embrace again.

"It'll be worth it once the baby's here," she sighed. Her eyes pricked with tears, her emotions were all over the place lately and she felt uncontrollably needy at times just wanting to know Nick was close by. She squeezed him tighter and kissed his neck. "I wish you were still working in homicide. You'll have your phone on right?"

"Don't worry everyone knows you're really close now. They'll make sure I get to you on time. I wish I was there too but I have less than a week left then I can come back." Nick had actually enjoyed working for counter terrorism but he didn't like not being able to talk to Jenn about it. He felt more at home in homicide and he was glad to be going back there in a week's time.

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><p>Nick stopped the car outside the door on Flinders St. for Jenn to get out. She rocked gently on the edge of the seat to gain the momentum to ease herself out of the car and Nick tried not to laugh.<p>

"I know," she laughed making a mooing sound, "I feel like a heifer!"

"You don't look like one," he chuckled. She smiled back at him gratefully. He always made her feel beautiful and desirable even though sexy was the last thing she felt when her clothes didn't fit and something the size of a basketball and weight of a bowling ball was pressing between her legs. She waved him goodbye and started walking as gracefully as she could towards the front door. She was actually quite grateful she didn't have anything taxing to do today because she felt very tired. It would be nice just to be in the office with the crew, drink tea and be a part of everything. She knew Nick would rather that she stayed at home now and she could have gone on maternity leave already but she didn't see the point. She would rather be at work doing things that kept her mind off the discomfort than sitting around at home doing nothing and feeling bored. Then she could save her maternity leave to spend time with the baby after it was born. She stopped at the door to take a breather. Her ribs hurt. She rubbed her back; it was really hurting today.

She waddled out of the lift and made straight for the break room to make herself a cup of tea. As she was stirring her tea she felt a sharp pain, she gasped and grabbed her back gingerly. She held on to the bench and breathed in and out as the pain slowly subsided. She was sure it wasn't labour pain she'd already been to the hospital twice in the last couple of weeks convinced labour had started only to be send home again. The midwives were always kind but she felt embarrassed all the same.

"You all right Jenn?" Allie asked in alarm as she walked in.

"Yep. Joys of pregnancy," she smiled in between panting slightly. She picked up her tea and walked slowly towards the door her hand in the small of her back. Allie observed Jenn and vowed she'd make sure she never got pregnant it did not look like fun and she certainly didn't want to get so big and fat!

Jenn sat down at her desk and turned on the computer and surveyed what she had to do today. She been on desk duty for most of the last five months and when she'd first realised she was being given lighter assignments she'd felt really annoyed about it. It all started when Matt assigned her to do background checks and family services liaison on the Simmond's case. _Desk duty _she had thought _oh well_. She wouldn't read anything into it for the moment but she started to notice that every assignment she was given from that time on had been fairly light on and usually involved phone legwork or research and she didn't get to go out into the field very much anymore. She spoke to Matt about it but he fobbed her off saying it was department policy. Not one to be put off by that Jenn then took it to Bernice thinking that she'd be sympathetic and possibly overrule Matt. She was wrong.

"_Don't give Sergeant Ryan a hard time it wasn't his decision it was mine. Jennifer I'm sorry, it's not a punishment but you have to stand down on this one and no raids until after you've had your baby." Jenn looked taken aback and annoyed. She realised that going on raids might not be very wise but surely that didn't preclude all field-based activities. "To put it bluntly do you know the kind of negative media attention we'd get if we sent a pregnant officer into potentially dangerous situations?" Bernice sighed. She sympathised but she was also practical and she had to watch over how the police force was perceived by the outside world. "Look I understand how you feel believe me but you do have to think about your baby now too. I'm not saying you can't go out in the field but it will be on a case-by-case basis. We can't afford to take any chances and I don't really think you want to either do you?" Jenn knew she didn't but she didn't like being relegated to phone jockey either. _

She had slowly got used to taking more of a back seat though and she'd felt a bit guilty that there were times when she'd actually been quite grateful not to be in the front line. She knew Bernice was right anyway, she didn't want to do anything that might risk the baby. She groaned quietly shifting unhappily in her chair because she couldn't get comfortable today. She got up and started to walk around again. She rubbed her forehead she was feeling really funny.

"You right Jenn?" Duncan asked in concern. She nodded and grabbed the edge of the desk as she felt another spasm in her back. Duncan walked up to her, "We can call Nick. I can take you to the hospital now if you like?"

"Don't worry I'm fine Dunny," She said slightly irritated and embarrassed at being fussed over. He still looked worried so she placed her hand on his wrist to placate him, "I'm fine, really."

"Well you let me know if that changes all right?" He said and walked back to his desk watching her warily.

"Yeah you don't want to have the baby in here Jenn," Allie jumped up excitedly. Jenn laughed at her and Rhys' eyes widened in alarm.

"That's not going to happen Allie."

She sat back down at her desk and adjusted the pillows in her chair to try and get comfortable. She'd been feeling weird all day and her back was hurting even more now.

After lunch Bernice walked past Jenn's desk on the way out of DSS Wolfe's office. Jenn took a sharp intake of breath and grabbed at her back again and Bernice's eyes darted towards her. She watched her for a moment summing up the situation; she thought Jenn was looking a bit pale. "Are you all right Jennifer?" She asked. Jenn gave her a weak smile and nodded. Bernice wasn't convinced. She put her folders down on the desk and knelt down by Jenn's chair. "Really how are you feeling," she asked quietly in a motherly tone. "You're pregnant and about to give birth Jennifer you can't play it tough now. If you're feeling off you have to get it checked out."

"My back hurts a lot but that's nothing new." She replied tears springing to her eyes at Bernice's kindness.

"Is it worse than usual?" Questioned Bernice unwilling to allow Jenn to brush this off.

"It's been getting worse since this morning and I feel faint."

Bernice patted her hand, "You could be in labour. I'm sending you to the hospital to get checked out." Jenn tried to shake her head thinking it was nothing, she was fine and she didn't want another false alarm. "It's an order Detective," she said kindly. "If it's nothing then that's fine but it's better not to take the chance." She stood up. "Detective Freeman," she called out. Duncan looked up from his desk. "Take Detective Mapplethorpe to the hospital right away and make sure she gets checked out by a doctor ASAP! And keep me informed of the situation."

"Yes Ma'am," replied Duncan jumping up. He'd been watching Jenn and he didn't need to be asked twice.

"Rhys get hold of Nick Buchanan and tell him Duncan has taken Jenn to the hospital." Rhys nodded and picked up the phone.

* * *

><p>"Where's Nick," moaned Jenn breathing hard and walking back and forth as the last wave of pain slowly died down. "He should be here. I need him!" Tears ran down her face. She didn't want him to miss this. When they couldn't get hold of Nick, Bernice had called Jenn's Mum who fortunately did not live too far away. She was on high alert anyway and didn't waste any time getting to the hospital to be with Jenn.<p>

"Don't worry I'm sure he'll be here soon," her mother assured her rubbing her back and handing her a jellybean, "here have this it'll help keep your energy levels up." Kathryn eyed the small window in the door catching Duncan's eye as he paced back and forth. He shrugged at her shaking his head. _Darn it Nick where are you?_ He stressed. He called Rhys again to see if he had managed to get a hold of Nick but it was a negative. Duncan paced up and down outside the room.

Finally Nick came running down the hall his face flushed from the exercise. "Where is she? Is she alright?" He questioned Duncan his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath.

"Dammit Buchanan you're cutting it fine!" Duncan sweated, immeasurably relieved that Nick was here at last and he could stop worrying. "She's fine mate her Mum's with her but she's been asking after you. Where were you?"

"We had a raid. You know what it's like. No phones. I checked my messages as soon as I could," he said peering past Duncan through the window into the room.

"Ahhh," screamed Jenn and gripped the edge of the bed as another really strong pain seized her, "Nick!" She sobbed. Where was he? She needed him here she didn't want to do this without him!

"I'm here Baby," he said rushing to her side. She laid back against the pillows feeling drained and smiled weakly at him overcome with gratitude that he was here now. He knelt down beside the bed, took her hand and brushed the hair off her brow, which was covered in a light sheen of sweat, and kissed her gently. "I'm here now." He kissed her hand.

"OK let's see how we're doing," the midwife smiled bustling up to the bed and lifting up the sheet. Jenn squeezed Nick's hand and grimaced in discomfort as the midwife checked to see how dilated she was. She moaned as she felt another contraction starting to make its presence felt. She held onto Nick's hand tightly and tried not to cry but the intensity was all encompassing and she couldn't focus on anything else. She buried her face against his neck and grunted in pain. "Not long now you can push with the next one," the midwife said cheerfully.

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><p>Not much more than half an hour later Nick came out of the delivery room. Duncan jumped up as Nick walked towards him proudly carrying a small bundle. He could hardly contain his joy and his face was beaming.<p>

"A boy," grinned Nick. Duncan peered at the baby. "4.2 kilos with a great set of lungs on him," he said proudly.

"Aww he's a beaut Nick. How's Jenn?"

"Pretty tired but she's OK. She was amazing!" Said Nick with wonder in his eyes. Duncan slapped him on the back. "You can go in in a minute and see her if you want." He peered through the door.

"So does this little guy have a name yet?" Duncan stroked the baby's cheek lightly with the back of his finger.

"We're still discussing that," Nick grinned. "None of the names we'd already picked seem to suit him."

"Well you better phone Waverley. They're all waiting anxiously back at the office to find out!" Duncan said opening the door to go and see Jenn.

Her Mum had helped her have a shower and get dressed in a clean nighty. She felt sore and tired but completely happy. She took the baby back from Nick and propped him up against her knees so she could have a really good look at him. Duncan leaned down to give Jenn a kiss.

"Well done Jenn! Nick said you were a trooper!"

"Thanks Dunny," she replied hardly taking her eyes of her new son. Nick sat down on the bed next to her and put his arm around her.

"Well I better go. They want me back in the office but congratulations you two! Oh and I think the others will be down in a bit." They smiled at him as he walked out the door.

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><p>"So did it really hurt?" bounced Allie. Bernice rolled her eyes at her behind Allie's back. Rhys just stood to the side observing. Babies weren't really his thing.<p>

"Yeah it hurt but I'm already starting to forget," Jenn said gazing adoringly at her baby boy. "He's worth it though," she gave the baby a kiss and he stirred in his sleep making a quiet mewling sound. Rhys watched his Aunt as Bernice moved closer to the bed and held out her arms for Jenn to give the baby to her for a cuddle. Jenn handed him over feeling and overwhelming sense of anxiety, which she knew, was utterly ridiculous since she trusted Bernice completely. Bernice gazed down at the tiny boy remembering holding her own son in what didn't seem all that long time ago. _Poor Josh_. She missed him so much! At least she was fairly sure Jennifer and Nick would never feel that kind of pain. She gave the baby a kiss and handed him back to his mother, dabbing at her eyes with a hanky. Rhys moved up behind her quietly and put his hand on her shoulder. Bernice patted his hand gratefully. Rhys was a good boy. She was so grateful to have him staying with her he was good company and a great comfort to her

"You have a beautiful son Jennifer. Well done!" Bernice said. Jenn looked down at her baby she couldn't agree more. She took his beanie off for a moment and stroked the light fuzz on the top of his head before putting the hat back on.

"You want a hold?" She asked Allie. Allie looked like a deer caught in the headlights at the suggestion and Rhys chuckled.

"Nah it's OK," she said shyly. "I've got a pretty good look from here."

"Well if you change your mind," chuckled Jenn.

Wolfey and Jarvis came by not long after Bernice, Allie and Rhys had left to give their congratulations as well and by the time they'd all left the room was a mass of flowers, baskets of fruit and baby gifts. Jenn's Mum fussed over the bassinette tucking another new blanket into it that she'd knitted.

"I think I might go home for a while," she said to Jenn. "Do you need me to get you anything?"

"Nah I think I've got everything I need in my bag thanks Mum." She said giving her Mum a kiss.

"Nick do you want me to make you tea tonight?" Kathryn asked.

"Thanks Kathryn," he got up and gave her a kiss, "but I'm going to stay here with Jenn tonight."

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><p>Matt walked through the maternity ward and up to the room he'd been told Jenn was in. He held a large bunch of brightly coloured flowers with a balloon tied to them and a large box of chocolates for Jenn. He peered around the door shyly. Jenn was lying in bed propped up on pillows cradling a small bundle in her arms. Nick was sitting next to her with his arm around her. They gazed lovingly at the bunch of blankets, out of which a tiny head covered in a knitted beanie peeked, then kissed each other. Nick reached out and tentatively stroked the cheek of his tiny son who grabbed his finger holding on tightly. Nick stared in wonder, "He's got a great grip," he said impressed. Jenn leaned back on the pillows against Nick, tired but immensely happy. She turned her head for another kiss. "Told you he was a boy," gloated Nick and Jenn chuckled,<p>

"Pure luck," she laughed, "you had a fifty fifty chance of being wrong." They kissed again tenderly.

"So we're agreed then?" Asked Nick.

"Yeah Tobias it is. We'll call him Toby though," said Jenn. "Tobias sounds too formal." Nick's dad had passed away the month before so they'd decided that they'd name him after Nick's father.

"Hey guys," Matt said wandering up to the bed shyly feeling like an intruder on the intimate family group. "Sorry it's a bit late. I couldn't get away any earlier." He'd got used to the fact Jenn was with Nick now and he'd been at enough social gatherings where he'd seen them together for him to acknowledge that they were actually really happy together. Things on the team had improved over the last five months and he'd felt more confident in his position. He and Nick wouldn't really ever be great friends but they'd come to hold a wary respect for each other. As he watched Nick and Jenn together with their baby he felt he could be happy for them. "Congratulations! What did you have?" he asked having left the office before Nick had called to let everyone know that he and Jenn had had a baby boy. Jenn held the baby out proudly for Matt to see. He put the flowers and chocolates down on the bedside table and regarded the child.

"A boy. We've decided to call him Toby." Matt looked down at the tiny little face. He looked just like Nick but he had a light fuzz of blonde hair on his head the same colour as Jenn's. He gazed at the baby and reached out to touch his little cheek but as he did the baby's face started to wrinkle up and he opened his mouth and screamed. Matt stepped back in alarm.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled. Jenn chuckled and placed her hand on Matt's wrist to ally his concern.

"Don't worry I think he's just hungry again," she said making a move to unbutton her nighty. "He's got an appetite just like his Dad."

"Um I'd better leave you to it." Matt said blushing and backing out of the room. "Congratulations again guys! I'll see you soon OK?"

"Thanks Matt," said Jenn smiling at him. Matt turned and left the room.

The love and the joy they felt radiated between them as Jenn snuggled up against Nick with her head against his shoulder and started to feed their baby. As Nick watched the baby sucking strongly at Jenn's breast his heart swelled, overcome with love for both of them and a tear started in the corner of his eye.

"You're so amazing Jenn," he murmured. "Thank you so much for everything you've given me."


	26. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I do not own City Homicide or it's characters (unfortunately)

This is pure fiction any likeness to real people or events, strange but purely coincidental.

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><p><em>Fourteen months later…<em>

Jenn looked at her watch _gosh_ _time flies!_ _Time to go. _She tidied her desk, switched off her computer and looked over at Nick to catch his eye. She gave him a look that expressed the desire to kiss him even though they couldn't and touched his shoulder lightly as she passed his desk, "I've got to go. See you at home," she said quietly. He grabbed her fingers as her hand dropped and caressed them subtly before letting her hand go and nodded. She was working slightly different hours to Nick so that she could spend a bit more time with Toby and collect him from day care before it got too late.

Jenn pushed the front door open with her foot, her arms full of grocery bags in one hand and Toby in the other. She dropped the grocery bags by the dining table while she took Toby over to the playpen. She gave him a kiss. "My gorgeous boy," she cooed pretending to nibble at his chubby little cheek and the baby giggled. She put Toby down in his playpen with some toys and rushed around in the kitchen getting his dinner ready talking to him as she did. The place was less tidy than she would have liked but she didn't have time to do anything about that now. The house now looked totally different to the days when Nick had lived here as a bachelor. There was a baby gate at the foot of the stairs, childproof locks on all the cupboards, a high chair at the dining table and baskets of toys by the fireplace. Family and baby photographs had joined the wedding photos and others on the bookshelves. A large basket of laundry Jenn had yet to get to was waiting for her by the kitchen door and clean clothes that needed folding sat in another basket on the dining table. The place had the feel of chaotic family contentment. Toby gurgled and talked to himself as he played in the playpen and she couldn't have felt happier.

She heard the front door open. She still felt an excited thud in her heart every time she heard Nick come home. She called out to him,  
>"Did you get the card?" Nick held up a card and waggled it then dropped it next to a wrapped box on the dining table. He picked Toby up and gave him a kiss and a cuddle then made a beeline for Jenn putting his arms around her and kissing her deeply. He rested his forehead against hers still holding her tightly in his arms.<p>

"Mmmm," he sighed. "I've been wanting to do that all day." He kissed her again and ran his hand down over her hips suggestively. "You know it'll be our second anniversary in a couple of months." He kissed her. "And you thought we might not last longer then that." She laughed softly and put her arms around his neck. "So was it worth the risk?" He teased her. She gave him a _what do you think_ look and ran her hands over his buttocks.

"Pity we haven't got time," she moaning softly. "Mum will be here soon and I have to change." She kissed him slowly. "But you know we don't have to stay late," she grinned seductively. She sighed, "I know I should be looking forward to this because it's the first time we've been out since Toby was born but really I just feel like curling up in my pj's with a hot cup of tea! When did I become so boring?" Nick gave her a look that conveyed to her that he never thought she could ever be boring.

"You want me to feed him?" He queried as Jenn went back to making Toby's dinner.

"No don't worry Mum will do that when she gets here." She looked at her watch again _yikes look at the time!_ "You better get ready too unless that's what you're intending to wear tonight?" She surveyed him critically.

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" He asked bemused.

"Well nothing if you don't mind turning up to Duncan's engagement party with baby puke down the back of your shirt," she chuckled and grabbed a cloth to wipe his shirt. Nick tried unsuccessfully to turn to see the mess on his shirt. "Come here," laughed Jenn. She wiped his shirt and much to Nick's delight started unbuttoning it. "I'll get you a clean one but do you mind ironing it I'm running out of time?" She asked hopefully, running her hand appreciatively down his bare chest, all sorts of thoughts that weren't conducive to getting dressed up and going out running through her head. He took her hand and kissed it. "It should be a crime to look as good as you," she murmured. She forced her mind to focus back on what she needed to get done. She kissed him quickly, "Can you watch Toby while I get dressed?" He kissed her back with an amused look in his eye.

"Sure."

Nick walked into their bedroom as Jenn was stepping into her shoes. Duncan had chosen an exclusive restaurant to have his engagement party in so they were both getting quite dressed up. Jenn was wearing a deep blue satin dress that draped low in the back. It clung to her curves in all the right places and rode up her legs showing them off impressively as she stepped into her shoes. Nick would have been quite happy to forego going out and ravish her right there but he didn't want to let Duncan down. He and Jenn had celebrated their first anniversary by giving Toby to Jenn's Mum for the night and Nick had intended on taking Jenn out but they'd ended up staying in for the evening instead. They never went out so he thought it would be nice for her to spend the evening in a nice place. Anyway he smiled to himself as she had said they wouldn't have a late one. She turned to him putting on her earrings as she did.

"Your Mum's downstairs with Toby so we can go whenever you're ready," he said.

"Do I look all right?" She asked hesitantly. He didn't know why she ever bothered to ask him that because he always thought she looked beautiful and tonight she looked stunning! She eyed herself critically in the mirror wondering if the back of her dress was a bit too low to be decent. Nick ran his hand down her back and rubbed the small of her back gently,

"You look amazing Jenn," he said breathless. She was wearing the necklace and earrings he'd given her on their first anniversary. The simple diamond pendant and studs set off the midnight blue satin perfectly. "You always take my breath away," he kissed her.

"You look pretty good yourself," she smiled eyeing the way his jacket sat nicely across his shoulders. She put her hands on his chest and kissed him languidly. "I've just got to grab another pair of shoes and I'm ready." She said fussing about in the bottom of the wardrobe.

"Why do you need another pair of shoes," asked Nick perplexed.

"I wonder if Allie will bring her new man tonight? She's been so furtive about him," Jenn chatted.

"Yeah but why do you need another pair of shoes?" Persisted Nick.

"Oh I thought you might like me to drive home tonight," Jenn offered casually. Usually they had to have a toss up to decide who would drive which immediately made him suspicious.

"That's generous of you," he caressed her arms gently and kissed her. She bit her lip trying to curb a huge grin on her face. He looked at her questioningly since it was obvious she had something to tell him. She put her arms around his neck smiling secretively.

"Well ah I won't be drinking tonight."

"Oh really?" He asked intrigued. She nodded and whispered in his ear and a huge smile spread across his face. He hugged her and swung her around, kissing her soundly and murmuring her name softly. "So when are you due?" He asked without letting her go. She placed her hands on his chest caressing him gently.

"August so you better hurry up and finish that other room!"

He grinned at her "Nothing like a challenge to make me get moving," he said softly and they kissed again. "Well we better go or Duncan and Rachel are going to think we're not coming." He took her hand and she followed him out of the room. She placed her hand on her stomach thinking how nice it would be if this one was a girl.

THE END


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